Dark Paradise
by SwordDraconis113
Summary: Things have gone to Hell. Hale, Dyson and Kenzi are attempting to build the rebellion with Vex. The Morrigan is assumed dead - but rumour has it she's been walking around the Light Fae Labs. And Bo, all-succubus and now the un-crowned ruler of the fae, has taken Lauren as her 'pet', while the doctor fights to return her lover back to the Bo she knew and loved.
1. Chapter 1: Undisclosed

Dark Paradise

1.

Kenzi was thrown to Hale before she could comprehend what was happening. "Dyson?" she called out. The siren protectively wrapped an arm around her, drawing her in close.

"I'll keep you safe."

"But who's keeping you safe?" she asked, watching as the shifter's hands grabbed around one of the lesser fae, throwing the kid through a door. The group of fae stepped closer, bold and unlike Kenzi.

She shivered against Hale, stepping back away from the Light Fae guards. This wasn't looking good for them. There was eight of the guards, all dressed in black, against the three of them. And Kenzi was in no way a match to even one of them. "What do you want?" she asked. "Aren't you goons supposed to be _helping _the Light. You know, keeping order and all that?" Hale's arm tightened around her shoulders.

"She wants all of you there," the leader stated, ignoring her as he stepped closer to Dyson. "You either fall in line or be eliminated. It is the will of the Queen."

"The Queen? Who the fae is that? What's _happening_?" Kenzi asked before one of the fae tried to grab her arm. Hale snapped the hand back, whistling a pitched tune, incapacitating him and the unfortunate others that were too close.

"Get her out of here!" Dyson growled. Without even a fight, Hale pulled her away, forcing her to run around the corner. Kenzi hurried to keep up as she desperately scrambled to look behind them, only managing to get a glimpse at Dyson shifting into a wolf before he went after another fae.

"But Bo! We can't leave-"

"It's not her Kenzi," Hale replied shortly.

"Like Hell. She's in there. She has to be."

"She's not. The succubus we knew wouldn't demolish the High Council by thralling them. She's not _in there. _There's nothing left." He tugged her again, pulling her as further away from the heart of the Light Fae compound. Kenzi fought only briefly as she bit back the tears. She knew he was right, but it still didn't make any sense.

Around them, as they ran past, fae were wreaking havoc; fighting against each other, destroying priceless equipment and unleashing their powers.

"But I don't understand! I thought she was all Jekyll and Hyde, not-"

"Well the Hyde part of her took over. Behind our backs she was rallying the fae into a civil war. Dyson and I got a sniff of it but we didn't get a chance to…" he trailed off, pushing Kenzi into the wall as a fireball flew past. A shifter was slammed into a pavilion beside them before sliding down, avoiding the second ball of flames.

"What the hell is happening?" Kenzi's eyes stared as the shifter pushed herself up and lunged at the fire-throwing fae, tackling him to the ground with sharp growl.

"This? This is nothing. The Dark have been destroying each other since Bo took their land."

"She what?" A large panther slid past them, briefly hissing before going back into a fight as a low tremor began to shake the ground. "We have to get out of here."

"That's what I've been saying." He tugged her along, pulling her into a side-corridor and down a hidden passage. Only as he listened to the quiet did he turn to face her. "Remember when those crazy-carnival people tried to steal the Land?"

Kenzi blinked in the darkness, going back over her memories. "Oh yeah, Mother-earth, with the rave and stuff."

"Yeah, well the Morrigan's probably dead if Bo broke the Dark Fae's bond with their land, and with the Light Fae's broken because of Lachlan's death…"

Kenzi grew nauseous at where the conversation was leading. "So who owns the land then?"

"She does. No one's done that in over two millennia. The results are...this. At the moment, people are battling because some know Bo's wrong, others...see it as the only way of survival or they actually _agree _with what she's saying."

"What is she saying? I only caught a few words." Kenzi shook on her legs, leaning back against the wall for support. The cool stone rubbed through her shirt as she dizzily sank to the ground. Bo's eyes had been blue, last she saw. There was so much power and anger. There'd been nothing of _her _Bo left in there.

"You okay there little Mama?"

"No," she whined, a sob hiccuping through her. Hale grabbed her shoulders, lifting her back up into a hug. "I d-don't understand," she cried, hating herself for letting the emotions get through her. "It's Bo. She w-wouldn't _do _this." Her hands shook by her sides before slowly, she lifted them around his waist and hugged him back. "Bo wouldn't...she's good..."

Hale comfortingly ran a hand down over the dark hair, pulling Kenzi tighter to him. "It's not Bo. She's gone."

"Forever?" Kenzi asked, unable to even comprehend the idea.

"Forever. If she was in there, there'd be no way she'd have let all this happen. We have to run, okay? Come on." Hale grabbed her hand, but instantly she snapped it away.

"But she didn't know!" Kenzi fought, "she wasn't aware of the other side of her. She thought it was all nightmares, and that she was blacking out. She didn't _know!" _Kenzi pulled away, facing the wall as her shoulders shook. "We have to save her."

"Come on, we need to leave." He reached out and tugged at hand gently. "I promise, we'll talk this over later. Discuss what to do next and think things through. But right now...we have to run. It's not safe for you, or me for that matter."

"What do you mean?" Kenzi asked. "Even if it's not Bo, she still loves us. Some part of her has to. I mean it's her body right? And…"

Hale stepped back, dropping his hands away. "You don't know."

"Know what?"

"About Lauren." Kenzi was quiet for a moment. The last she'd seen of Lauren, the doctor was pushing her out of the lab into Dyson's hands, terrified. It was the first time since Dyson had got his love back that neither of them had fought. It was a simple demand to him, and Dyson agreeing, only stopping to ask what Lauren planned to do.

"She was waiting for Bo to come," Kenzi whispered. "She knew Bo was coming for her and then me. But she made sure Dyson would keep me safe. She made sure I was safe before…" she trailed off. "But what happened?"

"You don't want to know," he replied softly.

"What do you mean?"

"Trust me."

"Tell me!" she demanded. "Is she okay? I mean I-" her words fell short as she remembered Lauren frantically running around the lab, over notes and assortments of books. Still she made sure that she was okay, she made sure Dyson was able to take her. She made _sure._ "But Bo loves her. She wouldn't hurt Lauren."

"Depends on your definition of hurt." The ceiling above them trembled before dust sprinkled over them. "Look, we don't have time for this right now." Kenzi's chin wobbled painfully as she tightened her jaw. Grabbing his hand, she held it tightly and followed his hurried steps out of the underground corridor.

"But where are we going?"

"Away from Fae territory."

oOoOo

Lauren remained on her knees, head bowed respectfully as she kept her jaw tight. She wouldn't allow her emotions to be visible.

"Bo."

Her head snapped up and the crack came immediately. She didn't touch where the slap had landed. Her hands were flat on the ground as she held her body tight, holding back everything she felt. Pain prickled at the back of her eyes and hummed over her cheek. "I told you to stay still."

"Of course, I apologize," she replied softly. Her body readjusted, sitting back on her knees as she stared down the podium. Dyson stood in full glory, body bare of clothes. Logically her mind knew he'd shifted. His hands were covered in blood and from the glimpse she'd seen, as was his mouth.

"Come to join us, Dyson? I could use another playtoy," Bo grinned.

"You're not Bo."

"I am as much a part of her as she was of me," came the sharp reply.

"The Bo I knew would never hit Lauren."

"Oh, I don't know about that. She always enjoyed leaving marks on the doctor's flesh…" her fingers brushed over the blonde hair lovingly, pushing her head back until Lauren's eyes were looking up at her.

Lauren shivered at the hungry blue staring back. They were all consuming and terrifying. Void of the gentle love she'd once known to fill them.

The succubus' hand slipped down, holding her jaw steady in grip. "She's mine now. Not theirs. I can keep her safe here."

"Except from you," Dyson bit back.

Bo dropped the hand away and immediately Lauren's head fell back, cast into shadows by the curtain of blonde.

"We could be great," Bo said, ignoring the comment. "The three of us, ruling over the fae equally. Controlling the population so everyone wins. So that _I _win."

"That's not how it works."

"It is now."

"You'll have a war on your hands. People want freedom. They don't want to be controlled by someone like you. There are fae who want to kill humans for sport, you will never-"

"And they can. We kill the humans that hurt others, we destroy all who refuse to appease me. The politicians, the dictators, those who initiate war; that rape, torture and kill others. The fae will be free to do what they like to them. There will be no prisons, only feeding grounds."

"That's murder, Bo."

"That's life."

"And where does it stop? Do thieves get killed? Carjackers? Malpracticing doctors?"

Lauren felt the energy vibrating from Bo. She could hear the snarl in the undercurrents of her voice as Bo spoke, "If you won't join me willingly, I can make you."

Lauren snapped her hand up, grabbing Bo's wrist. "Bo," she pleaded, "You don't want that. You don't want him to do everything you want. He'll lose what makes you love him." Bo stood still, turning her eyes to look at Lauren.

"And he'll be mine."

"But you want him to _want_ to be yours. You want him to be like it was before, don't you?" She rose to her feet, taking a step towards her. "You, me and him. If he's just another thrall it won't be us ruling the fae, it'll be you, myself and...and someone who has no original thought." Bo's eyes remained trained on her and slowly she smiled, raising a hand to cup Lauren's feature.

Slowly she brushed fingers over the skin, gently tracing over the jawline. "Is that what you want? For Dyson to be himself?"

"I want...I want us to be yours because we choose to be. I want us to be equals and we can't be equal if we don't stand up for ourselves. _You _taught me that, Bo." Lauren's eyes quickly flicked to Dyson's before returning to Bo. "Please," she begged softly. "For me?"

Bo pushed forward, pressing a fast, tearing kiss. Lauren froze in surprise before her lips obediently parted, eyes squeezing shut as tried to convey as much devotion and love into the kiss as she could, hoping briefly it would help.

There was a singular held moment before Bo gasped, stumbling back. Grabbing her mouth she looked between Dyson and Lauren, horrified. "Wha-?"

Lauren grabbed her, holding her steady as she swayed on her feet. The succubus' eyes had returned only temporarily back to coffee brown she was accustom to. But as she watched, blue began to flare at the edges of the iris'.

"Lauren?" Bo mumbled disorientated, "What's happening..?"

Lauren could feel beneath her hands as Bo shook with inner turmoil. A battle raged inside of her between the conflicting personalities. "I'm going to figure this out," she told her, "do you understand? No matter what, I'll figure this out."

"You have to..." she pulled away, grabbing her head. A snarl tore through her as the succubus took over.

"I'm not leaving you," Lauren said. "I won't."

"Lauren," Dyson grabbed her arm, tugging her gently, "This may be your only chance."

"I'll be fine, I can do this. She needs me and here I have access to the lab and..." she trailed off, watching as Bo straightened, eyes landing on her. "Go. Keep Kenzi safe. Keep everyone safe." She pushed away from him, forcing him to turn back towards the door. "I'll distract her."

Bo walked over, her eyes glowing electric blue as she grabbed Lauren's throat. Passion thrummed through her touch, eliciting a conflicted moan from her doctor as the touch shivered through both of their bodies.

Pushing through the arousal, over the desire to submit herself entirely to Bo, Lauren clutched at the wrist. "Bo," she tried. The hold on her only tightened, "Bo...please." The succubus glared down. "You're...hurting me."

"What do you think you were doing?" she demanded from her. "Letting Dyson go?"

"Protecting you," Lauren breathed out.

Flung back, Lauren flew through the air before slamming into the ground. She felt her head crack against the ground, breath winded. Bo was on top of her before she could even breathe. "How can you protect me if you can't protect yourself?" Lauren shivered, unable to recoil away. Painfully, her head spun, body hitching to breathe. "What's wrong Doc? Am I too rough?" Bo grabbed Lauren's wrists, lifting them above her head.

"You're scaring me," she whispered.

"I don't want to scare you," she told her. "But I want you to be my pet and when a pet misbehaves you have to punish it so it will learn."

"Your pet..."

"If you're good I can make it _very _enjoyable." Bo's expression softened as she smiled. "You need to be made stronger. I can make you stronger, better. I can make you whole, Lauren."

"Bo-"

"You don't believe me."

"Bo..." her voice caught as she stared up. "I don't know what you want from me. I can't _be _stronger. I..."

"You can be my lover, my consort. You'll be mine to keep safe, no one elses. No one else will ever touch you again."

"But you?" she whispered.

"Sometimes you make me _so_ angry," she replied gently, "And I don't want to hurt you, but if I can't keep you in line then everyone else will rise up and you...they'll take you from me. And I can't have that. Do you understand?"

Lauren nodded, closing her eyes. "I understand."

"I'll teach you, I can make you like it." Her hold on Lauren's wrists tightened as she released a stream of arousal through her touch. "And then think of all the things we can do. You can rule beside me when I'm done. I'll give you back your lab and you can study whatever you want. You and I will be great."

"Great," Lauren echoed softly. "Together?"

"Together. However...you need to learn your place first." She leant forward brushing her lips softly. It was tightly coiled current that struck through Lauren. A sharp contrast against the kiss; one too gentle, too soft as Bo took her time to tease her lips, making Lauren feel insatiable.

But Lauren held onto patience as a tongue nudged over her lip, teeth nibbling at the bare edges. Her body quivered beneath the succubus' touch as she arched into the kiss, pressing their bodies closer.

Bo let go of her wrists, dragging her hands down Lauren's arms, over her body until she reached the band of Lauren's pants. Her fingers unbuttoned the black material quickly, slipping beneath the layers and inside the sex before Lauren could gasp.

It was a fast fuck. A lesson, as she had stated, to teach Lauren what her place would always be in this new world. There was nothing sensual, nothing sexy about it.

But she wanted it. Craved it desperately.

Lauren could feel the pressure build around Bo's fingers quickly. She moaned, hands clutching at the spine of Bo's leather jacket as she rolled her head back, coming undone with Bo inside her. Deliciously, wrongly and untastefully inside of her.

Her legs yielded, wanting to enclose around the hand, but prevented to do so by Bo's body. She could, if desired, hook her legs around the succubus, but they shook, trembled, unable to hold grip as they slid desperately against the stone floor.

Bo growled into her ear as she kissed over her neck, teeth sliding against the doctor's skin. Everything, in that moment, was primal, ferocious and painful. Lauren wanted to be disgusted, wanted to hate herself for how she felt, but no thoughts could even push through her mind. Arousal spun electrically from Bo's touch and thrummed like music through her body.

Deviant blue eyes watched, enthralled by Lauren's pinched expression, her loud gasps that twisted into gutted moans as she rolled her head to the side, exposing more of her neck to Bo. Her blonde hair splayed out on the ground, sticking to her forehead as beads of sweat began to dampen her skin when the succubus' touch sent shocks of desire through her.

Pulling away, Bo lifted her body higher above Lauren's, her legs straddling the doctor's thighs. Adjusting her hand, she thrust the two fingers deep inside the cunt, thumbing the clit just to watch Lauren groan, a high pitch beg that pulled and trembled through their bodies.

Lauren's thighs clasped around her wrist, afraid Bo may pull out and leave her at the cusp, unable to fully meet the climax that she'd set up.

Her eyes squeezed shut, mouth parted wordlessly as she gasped. Arching beneath Bo's weight, hips rode the hand as she dug her nails deeper into the leather. She could feel it as pain twisted at her sex, pinched around the succubus's fingers and widened her walls. The yearning ache that spindled through her chest, then over her breasts electrically, came fast with the climax, hitting her with stark sensations until she cried out. She was held seemingly eternally in Bo's _fuck_, before she let go and fell back to the ground.

She dropped quietly, head lolling down to see the succubus looking at her with the utmost hunger.

Lauren gasped, hurt, breathless but forced the words to come out. "Bo," she whispered, blinking back the tears. "Bo, please." her fingers shakily rose, brushing over the dark hair.

"I'll train you," she informed her. "I'll make you the perfect pet."

Lauren's eyes shut as she fell limp beneath Bo. She didn't know what to do, what to say. She didn't know what she wanted except to make Bo _better. _Her feelings were nothing but complicated. The darkness was both terrifying and something that enticed her.

She'd been a slave to the Light, been hurt, tortured and lived through hell in the five years of indentured enslavement. However, being Bo's pet, knowing that there was some care, some love behind the cruel touch, would make it easier. But the mourning inside her chest. The belief that she'd lost Bo clenched at her lungs. She no longer knew where she stood, how much she meant to _this_ succubus.

And a part of her wished she'd ran with Dyson.

oOoOo

It was almost sunrise when Dyson stumbled into the cabin. The door creaking as he managed to shut out the incoming light.

Kenzi jumped, exhausted with dark rings under her eyes before she rose and tentatively walked over.

He could see the questions on her face, the unspoken need to understand, to know what's happened. But instead of even saying hello, she thrust out her arms and handed over his pants. Bemused, he took them, sliding them on before slowly limping his way to the couch. Edging down carefully, he laid down and felt relief soothe over him. They were safe.

For the moment.

"You look terrible," Hale finally said. A short rumbled laughter spilt from Dyson before he winced. Blood was matted into hair and crusted over his body in dark patches. Half of it wasn't his own. There were burns and deep scratches. Bruises forming, cracked bones. But he wasn't poisoned. He wasn't dying. That was a victory in its self, even if he'd lost both Bo and Lauren.

"Give me a day and I'll be nothing but bruises," he informed them, smiling at Kenzi. Her chin wobbled threateningly, but before anything could be done, she placed her hands on her hips defensively and glared down at him with sparkling eyes.

"Don't get dead," she warned him, "Or I'll find some shaman or whatever and raise you up myself just so I can punch you in the groin."

"Note taken Kenzi," he smiled.

"I swear wolfboy!" she took a breath and instantly deflated. Slowly she sat down on the chair and pulled her legs up to herself carefully. She ached. Not physically. Physical aches she could deal with. She'd felt every kind of ache by the time she was seventeen. But emotional was something always fresh. It felt different every time and there was no cure within reach. No medicine, no alcohol, no ice cream and...no Bo.

Her eyes welled up again but stubbornly she pushed it down, pressing her forehead to her drawn-up knees.

"Where's Lauren?" she asked softly, "is she...?"

"Alive," Dyson confirmed. He opened his eyes and peered out at Hale and Kenzi. Hale stood, body hunched as he stared out between the boarding over the windows. Kenzi sat small, tiniest he'd ever seen her in the large red moth-eaten armchair. "She...Bo's still in there."

Kenzi head snapped up, a grin breaking out over her features before it washed away. "You don't look happy about that."

"It was only a moment, briefly. The other side took over just as fast but it was long enough for Lauren. She's staying to find a cure."

"Damn doctor," Kenzi muttered. "She could have gotten out."

"She wouldn't leave her behind. Not if there was a chance." Guiltily, he looked away. He should have stayed, he should have waited with Lauren. Been there to protect her.

"What do we do?" Kenzi asked after a moment's pause. The silence killed her. Everything was too quiet. A massacre was happening not fifty kilometres away and it was silent. That was too unsettling and _wrong. _

But no one was rushing to answer. No one knew.

"Do we fight back?"

"How?"

"We can't be the only ones that escaped."

"No. But they'll be hunted down."

"Can't we...save them?" she asked. Dyson sighed, and looked at her. Despite everything, she was hopefully looking at them and he didn't know how to answer. "We have to fight back. We can't let this happen. I mean, Lauren's doing all she can! We can't just- we can't...we..." she trailed off, voice cracking. "we can't just...give up."

"We're not," Hale said, turning from the window. "We'll fight back. But not now, not yet. Everything is chaos. We just need to sit tight for a while and think of a plan. Otherwise Bo will rise above the other clans and begin to reach out."

"She plans world domination," Dyson spoke quietly. Afraid to mention the words. "She's going to make feeding pits. Kill those she views unworthy to her perfect image."

"What...like people who wear white after labour day?"

"Like murderers, rapists. War lords."

Kenzi smiled shakily, "that doesn't seem so bad." Then at his glare, quickly added, "but no single person should choose who lives...or...dies." Her words trailed off remembering Bo's voice. Bo's repeated, firm voice. "Can Lauren save her?"

"I don't know Kenzi."

Kenzi fell back. Eyes shutting as she tried to shut out the thoughts. Then quietly, she looked back at the two men and whispered, "I'm scared."

"I know Kenz. But it'll be okay," Hale replied softly.

"How can you say that?" she demanded. "There are people dying. The entire fae-world is going to flip it's shit! And either Bo goes to war with them all and ends up dying, or...or..." she blinked, looking away. "I don't _understand. _How did this happen."

"The Garuda."

"Not good enough. How. What did he do?"

"It wasn't what he did," Dyson spoke. "It was what we did. We made Bo powerful, and we didn't strip it away. We unleashed something dark and primal with no barriers, nothing to hold it back. There's a reason that power comes with a price."

"Well it's bullshit!" Kenzi shouted. "And...stupid. And...and..."

"I know. It's not fair."

"It's not." Her jaw tightened, twitching as she tried and failed not to cry. "Screw this," she muttered, drawing herself close again. "Screw all of this. I'm going to go to sleep, and Bo will just be sick and everything will be fixed because this can't happen. This is too...fucked up to happen."

Hale walked over, drawing her into a hug. "Come on, it'll be okay. We'll figure this out. We always do."

Kenzi nodded into his chest. "Don't get any ideas. This is a one time think, okay?" Hale just chuckled, and agreed. It was a small comfort and Kenzi liked the way the laugh rumbled through his chest. Drawing herself into his lap, she shut her eyes and slowly fell asleep listening to his heart, as Dyson too began to sleep, if only to sleep away the healing process.


	2. Chapter 2: Desecrate

2.

Eyes open in the darkness, she felt the night's events wash over her. Memories dully pulled over her mind. Emotions only seconds behind emerged sharply. Painfully. Consuming. It took everything to not curl up on her side and mourn what she had lost but it became more difficult as she remembered Bo's breaking features.

There had been a moment, brief and almost final before she'd fallen asleep. Nothing but a distant hallway light had lit the room and Bo had been inside of her, all harsh kisses and long, teasing strokes. But Lauren had held her for a moment, hands on either side of Bo's face, her thumbs brushing along the cheekbones as she looked up. Then suddenly, _she_ had stared back.

Not her, not the succubus, but Bo, _her _Bo.

Stripped of everything, but importantly, the blue in her eyes. Lauren had watched as they'd looked back with undeniable relief. Then, between her legs, she felt Bo's pace slow before pulling away horrified.

Her eyes flicked and held Lauren's, begging unnecessarily for forgiveness, as she had found herself unable to speak. The previous relief had turned to terror as she froze,

Lauren's tilted her head, body arching towards her lover. "Bo," she'd whispered, trying to convey, needing Bo to understand that it wasn't as bad as it looked, but there was nothing. All her words had left her and it was all she could do to just smile softly and hope she understood.

But Bo had collapsed under the weight of self-loathing, head against Lauren's shoulder, hands clinging hopelessly on either side of Lauren's arms. Somehow, someway, she'd broken through the barrier holding her back and it'd tore her apart. She almost wished that she hadn't awoken to see _this. _

At a loss, Lauren just held her, fingers running through the dark hair over and over again as Bo broke down. She could feel the sobs come out horrifically and shake into her own body. Lauren clung to her, biting back her own tears. Bo was broken, terrified but speechless. "It'll be okay," she had whispered to soothe her. "We can fix what's happened. We'll make it-"

"She's not gone, Lauren," Bo finally had spoken, limply pulling her head up to look at her. But immediately her eyes had flicked away towards the wall. She had been afraid that if she met Lauren's again, saw the bruises on exposed skin, cuts that threaten to break and bleed, then she would break. She bit down on her lip, holding back the sobs that still shook her shoulders.

"Bo-"

"I can feel her... inside of me. She's just..._sleeping._" Her voice cracked as she defiantly blinked, covering her mouth with a hand. Lauren felt hollow.

"Sleeping?" She asked, needing to keep focused. "No, this is good. Bo, this is good. Hey, look at me, we're going to get through this okay? You and me, remember?"

Bo turned back to the doctor, her lip quivering. "I hurt you," she whispered.

Lauren smiled, "No you didn't. I'm not hurt."

"_Lauren_," the word was almost wept out, her voice stretching as she tried not to cry. "I can see it. Even in the darkness, I can see-!" Lauren grabbed her hand, pressing it to her own cheek and gently held it there.

"Bo, listen to me. You haven't hurt me. You haven't made me do anything I wasn't willing to do."

"I hit you."

"That's wasn't _you. _I know you. I know that you'd never hurt me. Bo, look at me." Bo's eyes, that had trailed away shamefully, flicked back. Her jaw trembling as she forced herself to hold eye contact. "What's doing this isn't you. It's something else."

Bo shrugged, disbelieving no matter how honest Lauren sounded. "You should leave. If you run maybe I won't find you. Maybe you'll get away."

"No."

"Why not?"

With a soft sigh, Lauren had wrapped her arms around the woman before dragging her to lie down beside her. Bo eventually had yielded, only resisting momentarily. As she laid herself down beside her doctor, she felt an arm snake around her waist and protectively hold her close. In response, she had lifted a hand, placing it on the bare shoulder as she pressed her forehead to it.

"Please," she'd whispered.

"I won't leave you."

"_Please._"

"No." Any other day, in any other situation, the authoritative tone would have made her quiver lustfully and tease until it came out again from Lauren's tongue. Now it just made her curl up tighter, hating how stubborn Lauren was and loathing how selfishly she was thankful for it. She even found solace as a hand over her cheek, wiping dark strands away, before Lauren had softly spoken: "You said you could feel her, feel that she was asleep. Could you explain that?"

"Lauren-"

"I need to understand," Lauren implored. She watched Bo take a deep breath, only sparsely knowing what she must be feeling. Desperately she wanted to make it better, needed to bring back the woman she loved, but couldn't. Not yet.

"I don't know how to explain it. She's inside of me, like her presence is there. I can _feel _her. Feel her emotions, edges of thoughts... But now she just feels...quiet. Like all there are, are brief flutters."

"So maybe this won't be the only time you'll break through?" she asked hopefully.

Bo had wanted to laugh, smile at the hope, but she couldn't. "I don't...know. I don't think..." she trailed off shaking her head. "I don't want to talk about this Lauren. This _could _be the last moments we talk...for a long time," she'd added quietly.

"I know. But anything you give me could help make the length of time shorter."

"I don't know what to say," her jaw had clenched as she held back. "I don't know Lauren. I don't..."

"Okay. Okay, whatever you want, Bo. I'll give you whatever you want."

"No! No, I don't want..." she had struggled with the words, twisted them in her head before she'd found what she wanted to say. "A while ago, you asked if you could sleep in my arms and I didn't understand. I didn't know exactly what you meant or why you wanted it, but..."

Lauren smiled, trying to hide how much it hurt to see Bo like this. Adjusting her body, she curled an arm around Bo and felt the succubus move to lay her head down on her chest. They were quiet for a few moments and Lauren could almost believe that everything was as it should be.

Then Bo spoke.

"I'm scared," she had whispered, her hand coming to rest on Lauren's stomach. "I'm so afraid and I don't know what to do. Everything else-" she'd cut herself off, choking back the rest of the sentence.

Lauren couldn't admit that she was too. She couldn't tell her that she didn't have enough faith in her own abilities to believe that she could fix this. Without tests, without...everything, she had the absolute fear that she would repeat the same process she went through with Nadia. Except this time there was no Bo, no Ash to rush in and save the day. "I can fix this," she had informed Bo instead. "I won't give up on you."

"You should _run_." Her voice vibrated and Lauren had shivered at the harsh tone. Instead of being scared, however, she had found herself angry with Bo.

"You can't make me so don't you dare try."

Bo had chuckled and in turn, breathed out against Lauren's skin. Curiously she observed as the muscles clenched at the stark difference. Her own body turned sick as she remembered fragmented pieces of the day, of what her hand had done to make flesh turn purple. "You're really...you're okay? I'm not-"

"No. It's not as bad as you think." Lifting a hand, Lauren had ran it through Bo's, soothing the woman until she fell asleep. "I promise. Now, please go to sleep. I'll keep you safe."

Bo had for the first time, drifted off before herself. She appeared childlike in appearance, broken and still clinging desperately to Lauren's waist. But eventually she had let go.

Lauren had felt when the shift happened. When dreams had given way to nightmares and the succubus had taken over. There'd been a final feeling to it. She could almost sense the fae-barricade surround itself and imprison Bo inside of her own body.

But the body didn't wake, didn't lift its head and open its eyes to stare at Lauren. Instead, she slipped away, rolling onto her side and left Lauren feeling exposed and cold in the bed.

When Lauren had finally slept, she'd awoken in the dark room, somewhere in the Light Fae compound. More-so than last night, she felt how empty the room was, and suddenly how much she missed Bo's broken down, wall-less home, and her own cleanly-cut, lived in apartment. Either would have been better than this.

"You're awake," Bo said from the edge of the bed. Lauren hadn't seen her until then. Now she rolled over to her side, covers draped over her still naked body, and found herself holding the smile firmly as she looked at Bo. The succubus looked up from the tablet she was working on, to meet Lauren's eyes. The blue remained, glowing in the darkness as a bad omen. Lauren remembered when she used to be thrilled by them.

Before she noticed that a part of her still was.

"Is most of the battle over?" she asked.

Bo grinned. "Yes. And today I shall tell the clans as a whole, what will happen to the human world." She was confident, Lauren noted, bold and sure that everything would continue to go according to plan. Even if both Kenzi and Dyson had escaped her grasp.

"Oh?"

Bo shook her head, "You'll have to wait and see. But first, we're going to need new clothes. I'm going to show the world that you're mine and the right dress will make the moment...perfect." Bo was excited, and as she talked about the coming fae-meeting with the key members of clans, her body crawled over the bed, leaving the tablet forgotten on her side of the bed. "What do you think?" she finally asked as she straddled the woman's waist.

"I think you're finally getting what you want after the last few weeks of planning."

"I've done more than plan!"

"Of course. I just meant-"

"Shut up," and then Bo's mouth was on her own, tearing her kiss over swollen lips and down onto bruised skins. Some of the markings were a memento that swelled and heated as Bo brushed over them. Others not. "I like it better when it's only my name coming from your mouth."

Lauren's eyes squeezed shut, hands running through Bo's hair, dragging over the scalp, as she lost herself beneath the succubus. "_Bo," _she breathed defiantly.

oOoOo

The woods weren't dense, but they were big. Unfortunately it was a fair hike back towards civilization, but as Dyson had pointed out, it was safer than leaving tyre tracks right up to their door.

Still, as Kenzi stood outside, leaning against a tree, she wished it wasn't so far away. Without reception, or phones in general, the not-knowing was driving her crazy. "What are you doing here?" Hale asked. "Shouldn't you be inside and you know, not out in the open, _exposed._"

"No one's out here," she replied, waving her hand dismissively. "Listen to it, everything just filled with tree noises. Like birds and other nature crap."

"You alright?" Hale asked.

Kenzi blinked, turning to look at him. "No clean clothes, no food, no _water. _Yeah I'm just peachy," she bit back. Hale sighed, burying his hands into his pocket. Only a couple of hours ago, Dyson had left to get supplies, promising to bring his bike up closer so the hike back wouldn't be so long next time. It left both remaining occupants of the cabin unsteady and fidgety.

Bo definitely had his house staked out, so how he was going to do it worried them - but they needed the bike. The supplies more. Even though Dyson could hunt and Hale knew a few tricks himself, there were other things that were needed. Weapons being one.

"There's a well-"

"I'm not going to use a well. What's next? Build a fire underneath that sorry excuse for a bath. It's just a giant tin bucket!" She breathed out harshly, glaring at Hale.

Instead of returning it, however, he just looked at her, trying to find the right words.

Guilt washed over Kenzi. Dropping her shoulders, she looked away and directed her attention to the tree she was leaning against. "Sorry. I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that. It's just...with everything..." she sighed her fingers playing with picked leaves. "I didn't sleep much," she finally offered lamely.

"Yeah, I know. You want to talk about it?"

Kenzi made a vague gesture with her hands before, kicking at the dirt. "Just nightmares," she finally said. "Nothing I can't deal with."

Hale nodded, "with Dyson gone, the couch is free. You could get some real sleep there." Kenzi shook her head. She didn't want to sleep, didn't want images of _that_ Bo in her head. It was hard enough trying to believe Bo would come back without dreams of the succubitch killing everyone they knew. She didn't want to know what Lauren was going through at that moment.

"How do you do it Hale? Live for so long?" she asked him suddenly.

"A lot of sex and alcohol," he joked. Kenzi managed to smile back at him before it cracked and slipped away.

"Yeah, I hope Dyson brings back vodka too." Pushing away from the tree, she gestured for Hale to follow her back inside. "Or a tv. I could really use the tv right now. Do you think he might pick up a console so I can kill some robot hookers?"

"No electricity, remember?"

"Yeah but like, we could get one of those generators."

"And what? Spend it on video games?"

"Exactly! Video games make everything better."

"They also rot your brain. You being the perfect example," he teased.

Playfully she shoved at him before moving to flop down on the couch. With a long unnecessary stretch, Kenzi tucked her arms behind her head and watched as Hale sat in the armchair. The chair creaked underneath his weight, but unfortunately didn't break. She could have done with a good laugh. "You know, you two never told me how you got this place. Like, how did you know it even existed?" she asked.

"Now that's our super-secret detective business. But I can tell you that it's not the only one out here. A fair few fae live out in the woods, away from a lot clan restrictions and especially away from humans like yourself."

"Why?"

"'Cause you lot reek like nobody's business."

"Hey! I'm not the one who chose the water-less cabin in the woods to hide out in! I bet the other ones have electricity."

"They do."

"And," she continued, "I'd also like to point out that you don't smell so good yourself, _thank you very much_."

Hale laughed ducking his head as Kenzi lifted her tall boots so they hung over the couch's shredded arm. "I'm sorry, you don't smell that bad."

"Thank you! Jeez, no wonder Dyson gets all the ladies."

"Hey! He gets them because I'm the nice wingman who goes with the hotter one's best friend."

"Sure," Kenzi snorted, "Keep believing that and maybe you'll be a real boy one day."

Hale rolled his eyes, giving up as he turned to look out the window. Between the boards all he saw was the dying sunlight and more trees. Sometimes the occasional animal.

The silence didn't do them well, though. It left them to their thoughts and the more Hale allowed this, the more he required alcohol.

When he turned back, he found Kenzi's mouth twisted in a deep frown. As moments past, he watched Kenzi's mind turning as all signs of laughter slowly melted from her face. "What's wrong?" he asked. "I'm sure there's some berries or rabbits running around that I could find if we get too hungry waiting for Dyson."

"What? No. No, it's not that," she said tiredly.

"Then...what?"

"I was just thinking."

"You have to be more clear than that."

Taking a deep sigh, she looked at Hale. "About Trick." Any good-humor left in the room was immediately sucked out. There was an awkward quiet before Kenzi adverted her eyes and said, "yeah, I shouldn't have said anything."

"No Kenz, it's okay. I mean, he's probably barricaded up somewhere, you know? No one knows the Dal like Trick."

"But it's been a week!"

That was true, he noted quietly. The revolt that fully broke out the previous day had been happening to a lesser extent around town before then. Slowly it had built in intensity before the Dark bled into Light territory, and then Kenzi was dragged in the middle.

But Trick had been missing for a week before all of that.

The Dal had been shut one day and no one knew where he was. There were no signs he'd left, no evidence of a struggle. Nothing. No one wanted to admit that maybe he'd ran into Bo unaware of her darkness, but the thought was present in the back of all their minds, especially now.

"He probably sensed something was coming and went somewhere to get help," Hale offered weakly.

"She wouldn't do it," she said, knowing where his thoughts were. "She wouldn't. I don't care that she's Jekyll-Hyde. Dyson said she's still in there and that means that no matter what, Bo wouldn't _kill _him. She just wouldn't!"

"Trick can look after himself," Hale agreed. Blinking back at the anguish, Kenzi smiled weakly, nodding with him. She turned to her side then, dragging her body back up close as her hands drew in to her chest.

"I just want Dyson back safe already. He's taking way too long."

"Hoping that he'll bring back one of those romance books you pretend you don't read?" Hale asked, trying to distract her.

Kenzi's frame froze. "I don't read _romance _novels," she scoffed.

Hale grinned, glad to see her mind momentarily occupied with struggling for a good defense. "Oh but I've seen them in your purse. You think you could hide something so big about your personality from me?" he laughed, "I'm a detective, baby. That's what I do."

"And a snoop! That was totally rude and uncalled for," she sat up, snapping a sharp glare. "There are things in a lady's purse that are not meant for anyone else's eyes to see. A purse is like a...a woman's-diary!" she glared hotly. "And what if you'd gone through Bo's purse? Believe me, you do _not _want to see what that succubus is carrying in her _pockets _let alone...her purse...

Hale sighed as he watched the small human's frame drop back, reaching full-circle with the conversation.

After a moment, Hale decided to ask: "What _does _a succubus carry?"

"You do _not _want to know," she murmured. Frowning, he pushed further.

"Can't be that bad."

"Oh it is," she said before launching herself fully into a tale of what she'd accidentally stumbled across more than once in her adventures for looking for a missing dagger amongst other things.

oOoOo

_Silk_, she noted, then as an afterthought, _but sheer_. Her eyes dragged down the mirror's reflection and then slowly back up. The dress was light and fell loosely over her body, parts of the material clinging to her features. However the dress was designed so that when she slipped her arms out, it would cascade down her body and spill to her feet.

Bo settled her hands against Lauren's hips, placing her head down on one of the exposed shoulders to look at the reflection. Lauren could feel her body pressed against her own. And with the sheer material, she could feel the woman's breasts pressed against her back.

Suddenly she felt the unfinished echoes of last night as Bo breathed in, causing her chest to push tighter against her. Lauren's mind then turned to focus on how warm Bo's hands were, as they skimmed over her hips. They hadn't yet released familiar endorphins to seduce consent from her. Though, perhaps it was because she still felt the after effects of the last hit.

"Do you like it?" Bo asked softly.

Not that the seduction was needed, she made thought to mention. However, that didn't stop her from being thankful for it. Being beneath the succubus touch, in the times that she'd experienced within the two days, made it easier. Her emotions were pushed away, thoughts clouded beneath a haze of arousal. It made it easier to not _think _and just _be. _Accept.

The need for logic could happen later, when she'd adjusted herself into the situation.

"It's beautiful," Lauren finally replied.

"I thought so. She's a skilled seamstress."

_And fae, _the blonde added to herself, eyes turning to look through the gap of the dressing room's curtain.The woman's figure could be seen sewing something else, perhaps for Bo or another for her.

Lauren couldn't see the material, but she could see the woman's had threading with a silver needle. There'd be a large tug every now again and the metal would glisten in the light before it was driven back to whatever cloth was on the woman's lap.

"You want to know what my favourite feature of the dress?" Bo asked.

Lauren hummed, returning her eyes to the mirror. She felt before she saw Bo's hands draw up the skirt high onto her hips. "Bo," she warned softly. There was little time before they had to leave to the Ash's old meeting chambers.

The brunette hushed her quietly, placing a loving kiss onto her neck. Lauren breathed out softly, feeling the succubus' fingers then slip down to the exposed thigh, before allowing the material to drape over her hands. "I like," Bo whispered into her ear, placing another kiss, higher onto her neck, "that beneath this…"

Lauren felt herself draw in a breath, eyes shutting as Bo ran her fingers up her thighs so faintly, that shivers trembled through to her core.

"You're completely bare of any other clothes." Her hands ran over Lauren's hips, over the stomach muscles and high onto the ribs before dropping back down the sides. Lauren knew Bo enjoyed tracing the curves, feelings her hands dip into her waist then slip over her hips again until they fell down her thighs.

But they stopped and Lauren eyes opened to see Bo watching her. Her breath escaping quickly as she stared into blue, losing herself within them.

There was a fear that draped over Lauren's body when she stared at the blue. She was afraid that they'd swallow her, break her down and leave Bo helpless inside of the prison. She would then be alone and watching.

One of Bo's hands slipped out from the dress and turned Lauren's jaw to face her.

Meeting the ferocity was different to looking at them in the mirror. The eyes were closer, glowing like hot coals. Hunger pulled from them and Lauren found her body paralyzed between fear and desire as Bo's touched pulsed through her in waves. Her chest rose and fell with each arrival.

"Are you afraid of me?" Bo asked her, voice low and amused. Lauren's eyes stared back and slowly she found herself nodding accordingly. "I wish you weren't," she whispered, her lips pulled into a smile before she leant forward to press them against Lauren's.

A thought-turned-theory tugged in the doctor's mind, and the response was immediate. Adrenaline already coursed through her body, trembling it between fight or flight, but the added combination of arousal and the desperate from the pit of her stomach had her hand snaking around Bo's neck and pulling the woman in tighter. Her body pressed tight against Bo's stumbling them to the wall as she wrapped her other arm around Bo's waist and kissed, bit and tasted the succubus.

And then, before her tongue and teeth could mark any further on the succubus, she was forcibly pushed back, slammed into the opposing wall.

"I know what you're trying," Bo said, running a thumb along her own lip to remove Lauren's taste from it. "She's not coming back any time soon. I made sure of it this time."

Lauren stumbled in pain, before staring up to ask: "H-how?"

"Let's not," she said. "I know why you're here, I know why you stayed behind and forced Dyson to run - and don't worry, I'll soon catch him and Kenzi soon."

"But why do you need us?" Lauren bursted. "They're just...they're not important to _you. _They were important to Bo!_"_

"And?"

"And it doesn't make sense. You're a succubus, by nature you should be on a spree of sex and feeding. By doing this, by keeping me in your bed as though we're…" Lauren took a breath, "you offered us equality."

"And you don't want equality?"

"No- I don't mean that. I just mean...that's what Bo wanted for us. Humans and fae to be equal."

The succubus laughed, "you speak as though the two of us are entirely different minds. She and I share the same body, the same consciousness for a long while. Our emotions and our desires, are the one and the same. Only now _I _have been allowed to divide from her and reign over this body to _finally _enact what she was too afraid to. Bo was weak, bound by her morals, but I can make our desires a reality."

"I don't understand," Lauren said. "Bo doesn't want it to happen like this."

"Are you sure?" She asked, stepping close to Lauren, "She's never admitted her dark desires to you, her trembling fears of what she wanted in the fae? Why do you think she's never a chosen a side, hmm?" She shook her head, "but I digress. Kenzi and Dyson shall be mine, just as you shall be, doctor. And then she'll give up and I will destroy her consciousness."

Terror flooded Lauren as she finally understood. "You can't do that! You can't make people love you!" Glaring furiously at the monsters she felt her rapid heartbeat from the terror. Desperately she shouted at the monster, hoping that her Bo understood that she wouldn't allow it to happen. "You're not Bo. Kenzi will never be friends with you, Dyson will never care for you and _I _will never love you, because you're _not _Bo. You never will be."

"I can," she returned poisonously, "and I will." Picking Lauren up, she pulled her to her feet long enough to throw her out of the dressing room and onto the marble ground. "Guards," Bo commanded, stepping behind the fallen doctor. "Lock her up until I'm ready to deal with her. I won't have insubordinate behavior in my pets."

Lauren gasped as hands clutched at her arms, lifting her back to her feet. Turning to look behind her, she gasped at Bo, understanding what her intentions were. "No!" she begged, "please, no- Bo!"


	3. Chapter 3: Impressions

3.

Lauren was aware the room was dimly lit by a single bulb hanging from the ceiling. The yellow light flickered constantly, irritatingly until her head pounded with each pulse.

But she couldn't make herself care any more.

Her whole body shook with pain, numb shivers that made her hot and pull long aches through her being when she jolted. A part of recognized it as a reflex shock send from her brain to stop her from sleeping, but in the off-peaks, she found herself fracturing doctor from Lauren. It'd only be a few hours, she believed.

She was delirious in exhaustion. Her body strained from the weight of her body, feet dragging against the ground and all she could think was how ugly the wallpaper was.

But her chest heaved with long, slow breaths and she found falsified peace in the repetition. At a touch, her breath hitched, eyes widening in fear of a _crack _that didn't come.

"Hush," Bo whispered behind her, her hand brushing over the matted blonde. A strangled whimper escaped Lauren's mouth, her back stiffening as she felt the fingers ghost against the welts on her back. It was a long, slow stroke that glazed over the edges of raw skin, but she tightened her jaw until the sounds turned to sharp hisses.

At the release, Lauren choked on the sobs, her head dropping in relief. She felt dirty, disgusting as sweat dripped from her and perfumed her whole body. Hair clung to her face, greasy with sweat and clumped together in long strings. "Bo," she murmured softly, blinking through the strands. "Please…" her voice hitched in the sobs, pleading for the release of chains and for her body to fall onto the wooden floors, stain it red as she gave in to sleep.

Her eyes drooped, head slipping as she felt her lungs pierce with sharp breaths. Hotly, tears seem to drip down her being and slip to the floor.

Then suddenly the sobs turned wretchedly into a scream as the lash came. Blinding at first, her whole body arched, lengthening and taut before it became limp. She heard the chains rattle like distant chimes before she felt ooze trickle down her back.

Blood, she suspected, but her scent was too clouded to tell.

The trickle was brushed away and this time Lauren didn't whimper. Her mind too fogged, leaning against her arms tiredly, as the pulsating throbs blended with the damned succubus touch. Her neck lengthened in want, arousal choking her and god she hated it, loathed it, but _fuck_ did she revel within it. Hoarse moans were ripped from her throat and turned into sobs, again soothed by gentle hands that ran over her arms and chaste lips that would press comforting kisses to her skin.

It made differentiating pain difficult. She found herself craving the pain for the touch. Needing each reprisal for the comforts that came after. But it was too soon for her to accept this. Her brain pushed it away, temporarily shattering with self-loathing and disgust. She found herself pulling away to find herself in a different spacial awareness, if only for a few seconds.

She'd see white dresses, flowers in hands and grande smiles. A glimpse of green, then blue and grey before it'd flicker back to the dim, yellow light.

"Lauren." She gasped, feeling the weight of her body drag down until her feet touched the wooden floor and the manacles cut into her wrists. Lamely, her fingers unclenched around the chains and her legs began to tremble. "Lauren," she heard whispered again.

Her eyes peeled opened, looking up through the blonde strands as she met the welcomed blue. Bo's hands slid over her face, forehead pressing against hers. "It doesn't have to be like this," she whispered. Lauren noticed how soft her lips looked, how dry her own were. "I can make it stop."

"R-really?" Lauren's face broke, fresh tears slipping down as she sobbed, crying with her jaw open to gasp in breath and her eyes clenched shut. Bo held onto her tighter, wiping the tears away. Slowly, Lauren calmed at Bo's touch, as her sobs receded into soft hiccups. She could believe for a moment that perhaps _she _had returned.

"Hey," Bo whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to the doctor's lips. Lauren drifted in the kiss, her head lolling when Bo pulled away. When her eyes opened again, she found herself facing the very mirror of _her _Bo. Her heart ached at the warm smile and soft expression. Only the blue reminded her that this was just a monster. "Isn't this better?" she asked her cruelly, as if knowing where the doctor's thoughts laid.

Lauren flinched, wanting to cry out, _No! Give her back, give her back to me, please… _but the words had been spoken before. She had learnt over and over again in just an hour, what that meant.

Her chest pulled instead, breath heavy as she felt herself obediently nod and cast her eyes to the ground, ashamed of her fear. She could have been stronger if she had tried. But submission was better than death, at least for now.

Bo stepped forward, tucking strands of blonde behind her ear as searched the broken mask Lauren wore. "You're still disobedient," she said. "But I've done enough damage for this evening." Lauren shuddered in relief, her heartbeat slowing.

"Done?" she asked. Her voice had become hoarse, echoing childlike. She felt sick at the sound.

"Yes."

The chains became unbound and Bo's arm was placed around her waist. Lauren hissed at the contact, trembling no matter how gently Bo handled her, as she slowly was placed onto the cool ground.

She crumbled when she was released, her body wanting nothing more than to become as small. But the moment she tried, pain struck hot from her and she gave in to her position. Eventually, she resorted to curling her arms tight to her body, noticing that her wrists would probably scar. They were raw from rubbing against the metal, and burned at she held them close.

Looking down, Lauren watched her fingers tremble from the pain, curling them against her bare chest. She imagined however, that her pants would have to be cut from her rather than pulled off. Blood and sweat had glued them to her legs.

She glanced up from the ground when Bo's shadow past over her. "Two hours and then I want you in the Ash's Hall," the succubus informed her, wiping her hands on a towel, "I've delayed this long enough and people are beginning to get temperamental." Her voice wasn't regretful.

"Bo?"

"Yes?"

She squeezed her eyes shut, revolted by her need to ask: "do you...love...me?"

Bo's expressions softened as she crouched beside her. Tucking a blonde strand behind Lauren's ear as she whispered softly, "of course I love you. Lauren, you're the most important thing in my life and I'd do anything to protect you." Her finger traced down the jawline, brushing over the tear stains.

"Why?" Lauren asked simply. The word carrying every question she had to offer. Why me, why all of those plan, why Dyson and Kenzi, and everyone else? Why _this_?

"Because it's the right thing to do. You'll understand." Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to Lauren's forehead, feeling the woman tense at the touch. "It's going to get better soon," she promised finally.

Lauren felt her eyes squeeze shut with the kiss, hands trembling as she tried to hold back.

Bo rose then, leaving without further conversation. As she exited through the door she flicked the light switch, casting Lauren into darkness to leave her alone with her thoughts and do as she wished with herself.

oOoOo

Dyson inhaled, eyes shifting as he caught the three fae scents in his loft. Metallic, bloody scent overpowered the usual odors of his home. Even through it, though, he caught a whiff of leather and...shit, Mesmer. Dyson tensed, without a doubt the other three fae were incapacitated. Dead if Vex was bored enough.

But what the hell was he doing here anyway? He had hideaway places, from grande houses to hidden caves to hide within all around the country. The only conclusion he could draw, was that Vex had something valuable he needed to keep an eye on.

Dyson pushed open the door. Without pause, Vex rifled through his things, bypassing the three dead bodies on the ground, piled together. A nasty mess of blood was potently running from underneath the bodies. "What are you doing here?"

"Finally!" the Mesmer shouted, turning to face him. "Ya' know, I've been waitin' for you to arrive for abou' an hour now." Dyson felt the growl in his chest as he watched Vex bite into a sandwich. One made from _his _food. "Alright, alright, settle petal," Vex rolled his eyes, walking over as he threw the crusts of the sandwich behind him. "Look, I'm in a spot of trouble of needing to go 'missin'' if you know what I mean."

"No."

Vex frowned at him, posing with his hands on his hips, "well that's just rude."

"Shouldn't you be hiding with wherever the dark fae are?"

"See, right there? That's the issue. Most of the fae are dead or working for ya' succubus. She's gone and made herself queen and it's a big turn on since we've gone and lost the Morrigan. Many little lemmings have gone all loyal, especially with the new plans being rumored around."

"Queen?" Dyson focused on that word, eyes narrowing suspiciously at the Mesmer. That certainly didn't sound like Bo at all. "Has she officially crowned herself?"

"Well...not _yet_, but there's talks in the shadowy corners. She's gone and taken the good doctor as her consort and has a sizable bounty for you and the teeny-tiny one. I assume she has something planned."

"Kenzi's safe," he dismissed. "Bo wants to the rule the fae under her law, but crowning herself as queen is…" Dyson shook his head to clear it. He had assumed democracy, not...dictatorship. Or regency...whatever she chose.

"So why are out here all in the open? I would think that wherever you have the human hiding, you'd be up there too."

"If you thought that, then why are you?" Dyson growled.

"I knew a part of you couldn't _resist _coming back for that shiny bike of yours," he said, gesturing to the motorcycle in the centre of the room. "Soon as I saw it I knew you'd need it for transport back and forth from wherever you're hiding."

Dyson's eyes protectively flashed to the bike, as far as he could tell, no one had touched it. Glancing back, he corrected: "Supplies, actually. Which _you _seemed to have eaten most of."

Vex shrugged. "I got bored waiting. Now," he clapped his hands together, "let's get a move on, shall we. I'd rather not dilly-dally for too long lest the succubus coming looking for yah herself."

"She won't."

Vex snorted, moving towards the bike. "You don't know the succubus."

"What makes you think I'm going to take you with me?"

The Mesmer's eyebrows quirked, as he paused in steps to turn back to face Dyson. "If I know you and the human, you two are sporting for a rebellion, and you're going to need me."

"Why?"

"What's with the twenty questions? Jeez. Because, I have spies all around the succubus," he explained painfully, "I mean, did you know she spent the last few hours training her new _pet_ to be submissive. Started slow, so that all that could be heard from behind the door were low murmurs and the odd whimper of pain. Some not so painful whimpers if you know what I mean; seems like me and the bitch have a lot of similar tastes," Vex laughed, "But then the little doctor spoke out of line. Made the succubus very cranky."

"What happened to her?"

Vex shrugged. "Damned if I know. Lots of shouting, muffled voices. Your ex-_lover_ came out looking not _un_pleased and walked away. Glimpse my guy saw of the doctor, was just blood. Her skin stripped from her back by caning, impressions all over her body. Very broken looking, he informed me. Not sure if she's alive though. He had to leave after that."

"She's alive," Dyson said, his voice wavering unconvincingly. "Bo wouldn't kill her."

"But that's the problem aint it? It's not _your _Bo,necessarily. It's whatever's inside of her. She's all-succubus now and a deliciously evil one at that. Even made the Morrigan quiver with fear. And that's something I aint seen in a very long time."

Dyson shook his head. No, he'd seen her inside the succubus. She was in there and he knew echoes of her personality had left impressions on the vessel. "We're going to Bo's house," he decided firmly.

"We're what?" Vex shook his head, "Are you daft? Nuh-uh, no bloody way. That place is more covered than your little abode," he gestured around sarcastically, "She has plans for it and not even a scitty mouse is getting near that damn hellhole."

"It's a disaster waiting to fall down. What would she want with it?"

"You'd think she'd tear down, wouldn'tya? But she has this idea for it. Probably going to make it into her new castle or some crap. I don't know, ideas are locked up tight in her crazy mind, who knows what's going on in there."

Dyson shook his head. "Kenzi needs her clothes, and there's an assortment of weapons there."

Vex melodramatically dropped his shoulders. "It's never a simple thing with you guys, is it?"

Dyson couldn't help but laugh, there was nothing else he could do, "If you're lucky, you might get to fight off a few more of Bo's men." Vex's lips twitched at the idea, but the idea of lugging loot behind them on the motorcycle was enough to make him hang his head again.

"So how much stuff is it, that we need?"

"Depends on what type of car you brought. We'll be going to the Dal after that, see if Trick left any books or scrolls-"

"Nope, that place has been cleaned out. Was gonna wait for you lot there but it's a disaster waiting to happen. The bitch has taken everything for research, probably got her pet chained up and collared to them." He smirked at the idea of Lauren's body hunched over, chains around her neck and wrists.

"I'll have to see for myself. Wether you come or not won't change my mind."

Vex puffed up his chest, thinking over his choices. He could make his break for another country, he certainly had the currency. _However _that meant having to appeal to the Dark Fae over there, a different Morrigan who knew nothing about him. And if the succubus, whose power and influence were already growing in mass, managed to get her fingers around other fae-kingdoms…

Vex didn't want to know what would become of him. To be fair, he really didn't want to know want to know what would become of him if he got caught hiding with rebels.

But it was about survival and he had _things _to keep tabs on here. "Alright, I'll follow you. Only 'cause you'd be lost without me. There aint no way you're getting in Bo's house without the likes of me."

Dyson sniffed, walking over to climb on his bike. "Fine, we'll meet outside the district then."

"What, and leave me to walk?"

Dyson switch on the bike, revving the engine. "How far is your car?"

"That's another problem. I didn't bring one, I 'borrowed' one."

"Then borrow it again."

"Can't."

Dyson felt irritation build into a headache. "Why not?" he asked lowly.

"_Well_," he dragged out, "there's the slight problem of it being out of petrol and whatnot. I ah, ran into a slight problem you see. And it ended up on its back and the petrol leaked out and then there was fight…may have been an explosion when a-" he stopped there, smiling innocently.

Vex looked up to see him staring back at him unamused. Shrugging he nervously flexed his hands. Dyson moved on his motorcycle, growling deep in his chest. "Just get on."

"And what, no helmet?"

"I can leave you here and make a very clear trail leading back to you," he warned. Vex rolled his eyes, sliding behind Dyson before actively wrapping his arms around the shifter's waist. There was a good squeeze made, and a crude comments about his body that Dyson shook off. "This is not what I had in mind."

"Aww, just lie back and think of your succubus," Vex teased, "it'll all be over soon."

Dyson shook his head, not liking to think of Bo. The more he thought of her, the harder it was to hold the same hope that both Kenzi and Lauren naively held tight to themselves.

oOoOo

Lauren's legs trembled as she grasped at the doorway, pressing her side against it. She felt herself bend over, nausea and pain blinding her as she began to slide down, falling to her knees. The guard who'd helped walk her, immediately left to return to his post.

Lauren couldn't help but see the flicker in his eyes, the smile in his lips that added to the enthralling. Would she be like that? Would she look in the mirror one day and just see that bliss and eternal love for a woman that no longer was Bo?

Lauren cried out in pain briefly as she reached out with her hands, pushing through the doorway to see the lab in turmoil. Her body edged closer, holding the door open with shaking arms as she watched the scene unfold.

"No, no you can't do that-"

"I'll do as I damn well like."

"Sir! Would you please sit down."

"I want my wife-"

"Where's my child?"

"-was admitted in here six hours ago. He called, saying that he was headed here. He has to be here."

Lauren looked around, unable to make sense of the chaos. People ran around in her lab, nurses and fae-alike struggling as people screeched for attention. "What the hell is going on here?" she demanded. Her jaw clenched, vexing the pain as she breathed hotly through it. She pushed up, grabbing the door handle for support as one arm covered her breasts in modesty.

The lab paused at her, everything briefly becoming still as they took in Lauren's form. A human, many noticed, then slowly realization dawned on just who she was. "Doctor Lewis?"

Lauren gestured to her assistant and instantly he grabbed her hands, lifting her back onto her feet. Slowly, he helped her onto a bench, handing her a medical gown to cover her breasts. The exposure on her back felt better than dragging any material across it "Alright!" She said as the noise became overwhelming again, people talking to her, shouting over each other, desperate for attention. "Quiet!" she shouted, patience thin. "Divide ex-Light Fae and Dark Fae to separate sides of the room. Now. Divide your attention _not_ to the loudest but to those that need the help, _everyone:_ Shut. Up! We'll get to you when we can. The situation affects us with the change over. Light Fae orders have been revoked. Until further notice we are under War Regulations."

The noise died down only temporarily before the cacophony rose again much faster this time. Lauren breathed out, clutching at the edge of the operating table to hold herself steady. This wasn't how she planned things. All around her, people were crying, screaming, desperate to get help, looking for attention. There were too many in such a small place. The Clinic wasn't designed to take in this load. To be a war relief.

But they were all so afraid to be there, she noticed. People kept looking to the doors, snapping back when a nurse tried to help ease them down. Even the other medical staff was more skittish than usual, looking to her for help. She had nothing and instead, ignored them.

Looking away, she noticed one of the Boston Harpy nurses, screeching at someone as the wood around the patient began to come alive. Immediately the wood returned to the chair-like state at the screech, and he fell back, nodding, allowing the nurse to take his blood.

Lauren blinked, head pounding with dehydration as she trembled. The assistant grabbed her shoulders, helping her to remain sitting up as she almost fell over faint.

"You need-"

"I need my back to be cleaned, I need...I need antibiotics, I need..." she shrugged, head dropped to rest on his shoulder. She could feel the grease of her hair against him and the salt crystals drag on her body. Slowly, she opened her eyes and whispered: "But I can't. Not yet."

"Then what can I do?" he asked confused. With any other patient, he'd force her back down, but this was his boss. Lauren was the Chief of Surgery, she _ran _both labs and Clinic after Doctor Everett left. But never had he seen her like this. Not even after she'd ran away.

"I need you to get that gauze."

"Gauze?" he asked. "Okay that's right over-"

"No," she said firmly, grasping weakly as he tried to leave, "I need...I need the one that's laced…" she gasped tiredly. She could feel her heart rate pounding in her chest, desperately fearful of what was to follow.

"You want the Ash's stock?" he sounded afraid of the idea. Rightfully so. Touching the Ash's private stock was a big no-no without permission, but screw permission. Bo probably didn't even both with checking the paperwork for stock.

"Yes. Unicorn Blood will help. Can you do that for me?"

"Are you sure?"

Lauren nodded slowly. "I need to be able to stand...and...Bo...she needs me."

"But you're not going back. Are you?"

"Look," she said, sitting up again, "Bo's in there and…" she trailed off, seeing how flatly he refused to believe.

His face was stubbornly set, thick brows creased, eyes hardened. She wanted to yell at him, shake him to get understanding through him that there was more to Bo. But he never trusted her in the first place. And now, she could almost see his plan mapped over his features about what he planned to do.

"Don't run, don't let anyone run, okay? Don't try to get these people out unless you _know_ that they can make it across the borders. Because she will find you and either enthrall you or kill you."

"But-"

"No. I can't do anything, I can't stop her or persuade or..." She paused, shutting her eyes, as she moved her body to relieve pain from her back. "You'll look after the lab when I'm not here. It's going to be difficult, and busy for a couple of weeks but the people need us. They need doctors and care. The lab is sanctuary until it's not, do you understand?"

"How bad will it get?"

Lauren took a breath, shaking as she realized. "I don't know what she has planned," she admitted. "It's not Bo, it's not her. Believe me, it is her, but it's not..." she closed her eyes, allowing the assistant to hand her water as he took her blood. "It's not _her," _she finished softly. "Bo wouldn't do this."

He snorted, but didn't comment on the succubus. "I've been half running the lab anyway," he said instead. Lauren breathed out in relief, agreeing as she felt him looking over her wound with careful fingers. "This needs-"

"I know. But no. I'll get it done later tonight if I can, or…tomorrow. Just a patch job." Her mind raced with a quick plan; she needed to get dressed, hair and make up before going to Ash's Hall to sit - or kneel as the case may be - beside Bo. She needed to be there, to know first hand what Bo had planned.

"Doctor-"

"No," Lauren murmured. "Just the gauze. I don't have enough time. I'll come back later."

"But the increase of infection-"

"I know." The assistant looked away, breathing out as he accepted her choice. "Don't forget the leather gloves before you grab it!" she warned quickly.

The assistant didn't look back as he walked off. His steps were uneasy and he kept his hands clenched at his sides. She understood his worry. Fear held an iron grip around her heart, and made sweat drip down her neck.

Unicorn Blood was potent and very dangerous. The benefits of use being quicker healing, faster skin-growth and the less chance of scarring. Once it settled in, it would cause a numbing effect and possibly allow her mind to clear. But it was painful, frighteningly so. It should only be used in third-degree burn victim cases, and usually it was. But she needed it.

Slowly a nurse walked over, helping her to sit up as he pulled down the gown, and quickly, did a cleaning, followed by a short examination over her body. "Nothing's broken," he murmured to her. "No internal bleeding. Heart rate is acceptably in range for the gauze."

"That's good," she nodded, eyes blinking as her mind tried to remember what other things she should be worried for. Side effects she should notice. Blackening skin, blisters, head aches, delirium, heart failure, loss of appetite, blood poisoning.

"You're an idiot," he hissed lastly, leaving as her assistant returned.

"I know," she replied.

"Doctor Lewis?" The assistant said, leather gloves on his hands as he held the gauze. "I've never...done this before."

"It's the same as normal gauze," she guided, "Place it on and just be careful not to touch it."

"Will your back scar?"

"No. The skin hasn't been flayed off, it's just damaged. It'll heal, even if it..." she shook her head. The residue of adrenaline from Bo's touch was wearing off. She was going to pass out in a moment. "All you need to do is place it on, when it's done and when I passed out, I need you to wake me up, okay?" he nodded, looking pale. "It's okay," she smiled softly, her lips shaking as she adjusted herself. Her limps shook with both fear and exhaustion, "I'm just another patient."

"I don't-"

"I need you to. Okay? Please." At the soft plead, spoken under her breath, he nodded.

The nurse from before returned with leather gloves on his own hands. He grabbed Lauren's shoulders to hold her steady, then grasped at her forearms to keep them raised. "Are you sure?" he asked for a final time.

"Yes."

Slowly, the assistant took the gauze and tentatively placed it on the outskirts of the skin. Lauren screamed at the contact, crying out in more pain than ever before as the Unicorn Blood came in contact with the wound. Her head arched, throating slicing hoarse with the scream before she finally collapsed in the nurses arms unconscious.

Within moments she was awoken to continue through, as inch by inch of gauze was placed over her torso.

oOoOo

**A/N: I just wanted to do give a really big thank you to those reading the story! Every single review I read and I'm really, really sorry I haven't yet replied. I'll get onto that ASAP as there's really no excuse for it. But it really, really means a lot and each one always makes me feel guilty for not updating :3 I also wanted to give a massive big thank you to those favouriting or following, all those updates make me gushy and I'm glad that people are enjoying the story.**

**If you have any questions, chuck a review or PM me and I'll get around to answering it ASAP! Let me know if there's anything wrong with the story, or anything that you really like and I'll take it into consideration for future chapters.**


	4. Chapter 4: Violate

4.

Behind the doors, Lauren could hear the people talking, their fear echoing around them. Bo's shouts had echoed along the corridor when Lauren had walked down. Now she stood outside the doorway, shoulders heavy as she watched four people drag out bodies of clan leaders, bodies Lauren had been familiar with.

Bo watched over the corpses being dragged off, eyes narrowed as she shut the hall's large wooden doors behind her. The cold expression shifted to amused when she turned to see Lauren standing before her.

"Well, hello there doctor," she murmured, stepping forward as she looked over the new mauve dress. Her eyes hovered approvingly over the high neck collar that ran tight down to her breasts. Beneath a gold chain resting on the ribs, the skirts slipped down to the floor in loose, draped fabric. Sleeveless, the dress was made to show her assets for Bo's benefit, and not for anything else. "You look delicious."

"What happened?" Lauren asked, moving the conversation as she looked over to where Bo's guards were dragging the bodies. If Bo went with protocol, they would be handed over to their families before a new leader was elected.

"They attacked and I defended myself." Bo's hand reached up to grab at Lauren's jaw, pulling the blonde's gaze back to her. "You look healthy," she noticed. Lauren flinched at the suspicion.

"Unicorn Blood," she replied.

"Naughty," Bo tsked, shaking her finger. "You and I both know that has to be sanctioned by the Ash for use."

Lauren stiffened at the comment. She'd been unaware that Bo knew about the gauze. Quickly, she masked her expression to reply, "But the Ash is gone, and I thought you'd rather I defy one of those rules so I could still be of...some use." Stepping forward, she wrapped her arms around Bo's neck, pressing herself close. "After all, you wouldn't want me to be whimpering pain every time you touched me for the next few weeks. That would be a terrible way to love someone."

"Once upon a time, you used to run a lot hotter for me," Bo reached up, tucking blonde behind Lauren's ear. The gesture was cold and left her hollow. "Now you look more afraid and uncertain before me."

Lauren's hands dropped away. "I was beaten," she replied softly. Her heart pounded dangerously in her chest. Taking a deep breath, she forced it back down to the suitable range. "It's a normal reaction to be afraid of their partner after such an act."

"Yes, but it's for a good reason."

"What reason?" she asked. "You hurt me, you hurt me more than anyone ever has."

"I have to. Already you're standing taller, less afraid of me then you were the yesterday," her finger traced over the chin, admiring the new mask Lauren wore. Quickly she seemed to have repaired herself, holding back on the tears that choked her. It was such a beautiful expression of how stubborn for life her doctor was. "I love you Lauren."

"I know," she replied, and then softer, "but I love-"

"The other Bo," she murmured. "Yes I'm fully aware. But I understand," she sighed.

"You're not angry then?"

"No, I am. But I understand. You can't control your emotions." Lauren breathed out with relief, her eyes dropping to stare down at their feet. She could feel Bo's hands slide over the dress, their body's brushing close enough to feel the heat coming from the succubus. Against her thighs, the silk chiffon slid over her gently, and pulling a long, dull ache from between her legs.

She wanted to blame a touch, a single pulse that pooled from Bo's fingertips, but a part of her knew that she would have felt the electrical nervous reaction as orders jumped from touch to brain and then back down again. This slick arousal was all hers, an after affect perhaps of the previous influences - her body learning to respond to Bo even in fear, but hers nonetheless.

"Why are you here, Lauren?"

"You asked me to be here."

"Yes, I did, but you went through a great deal to get here in one piece."

Lauren took a breath, her fingers trembling as she dropped them to her sides. "You haven't fed from me since I've been here. Not really. I want-"

"You want that feeling, that rush?" Bo asked. Hands on hips, she pushed Lauren into the wall beside the hall's doorway. Lauren gasped at the pain that shot through her from the tender flesh. Eyes opening wide, she looked up at Bo, flicking from the blue to the the succubus' lips. A tongue darted out to dampen the lips and Lauren's own mouth parted in response.

_Just a taste, _all she needed was Bo just to taste her. "Please," she murmured.

Bo laughed, pressing her lips to Lauren's for a quick fuck. It was all gnashing teeth and violent pulls of lips that left them both bruised. It was over before it really began and Lauren's head lolled as she watched Bo pull away. "Soon," she murmured, letting go of the doctor's hips. "And then you and I can see how fast the bandages worked."

Stepping away she nodded to the guards walking forward and opened the doors back up. Lauren was left trembling against the wall, rejected and feeling cold as she stood weakly on shaking legs. She could hear to the sudden silence fall over the fae crowd behind her.

The guards stepped on either side of the doorway, and Lauren eyed them both wearily as she kept pushed off from the wall. Moving quickly, she caught up behind her mistress, forcing her head high and legs tall.

The succubus seemed to flow through the crowd as it parted for her, and as a loyal pet, Lauren followed her to the platform, kneeling back on her legs beside her. Bo didn't acknowledge her existence as she turned to face the nervous fae leaders.

"Now you've seen what happens when you defy me," she said simply, sitting down onto the throne. "I will listen to your ideas and happily take them into consideration but I don't have time for bullshit. You're either with me or you're against me. There's no grey area in this."

"The Dark and Light won't be aligned," a Light Fae spoke out, her voice held stronger than her eyes.

"And why not? You both want the same things," Bo bit back.

"No we don't. The Dark-"

"The Dark viewed the humans as playthings, rabbits and dears to hunt. The Light viewed them as pets, cows and pigs for slaughter. Both will still exist. In this new world under new laws there will be hunting grounds, areas cut off where the fae may hunt humans and other fae unfit for civilization; our criminals, rapists and murderers. There will fighting rings to feed from, pits to verse strengths for those that wish it. But there will also be donors, compliant humans and fae that agreed to feed those who require submission and consent. This is all part of the structure I have for our future."

"And what of the humans? Do they not get a choice?" someone called in the far back. Lauren's felt her shoulders sag in relief of the question. She didn't want to be the one to ask Bo the hard questions.

"Of course they do. The process won't happen overnight, but we have people in politics already, high up in positions of power. All we need to do is reach out, persuade the other clans. We need to finish this petty battle of dominance and rewrite the new laws to agree for a better future. After all, haven't we fought amongst our selves for too long, remained hidden in this world too long, our skills and potential unable to be reach for too long because of what? Out fear of humanity? And why? What do they have that is so scary, we are left hiding under the bed?"

No one spoke, but Lauren looked up at them. They feared humanity's numbers. Magic, power, strength would all be nothing if humanity rose up. World War II was proof of the extent humanity would go to for 'peace'.

"We will slowly go through this. Humanity will come to understand us, crave us. Already they've lived among us, know us as their friends and coworkers, ex-lovers and bosses. And with technology it was only time before we were forced to come out of the closet, so to speak."

Murmurs broke agains the clans before someone spoke out: "And then what? It won't be peaceful, they'll rise up. Humans don't deal well with the new. Look at their culture, rising up and inflicting their dominance."

"We'll go through politicians first, take them into our grips one by one if need be. Those who defy us will be destroyed, and those who are with us will remain as human leaders and spokespersons. However, no human can know about the cruelty we inflict. We need to come off as the future, not a horrific past to successfully do this."

Lauren watched the fae. They're eyes were hardened stubbornly but even she could see that their will was crumbling. They were afraid of Bo, knowing how easily they could be replaced by the younger generations. Some were perhaps old enough to remember the Great Fae War and the devastation rebellion caused.

"This is a lot to ask," a woman spoke softly to Bo. "What do you even want us to do?"

"I want you to speak to other clans, persuade them to this. Without the Light and Dark we can be united to fight for what we really want, instead of fighting against each other over petty things such as grounds. Let's be honest here, don't you want those borders stripped away? The family feuds over Dark and Light to end? Or the red tape of laws taken away that we all know cause more harm that good? Wouldn't you want the freedom to be able to walk in the streets, your powers bright, without fear of being clasped in irons because some weak human saw you? I can give you what you want. I can give you hunting grounds free of restrictions, wards in hospitals to take in masses of fae, a world where we walk free and tall, unrestricted and are able to reach our limits. I can give you that freedom."

oOoOo

The last of the sun had set casting the last of golden light over the buildings, making shadows tall and wide. It made hiding harder, his shadow extended over walls, catching the guard's eyes.

There had been six men and women around the Dal, all of whom had been dressed in suits, appearing suspicious to anyone who may have walked past. Two of them had come from inside, four had been stationed around the area to keep people from going in.

Vex had acted as a distraction, leading most of the guards to him with loud laughter as he forced one fae to enflame another. The sadistic rumble drew in the guards with a false sense of security before he would puppeteer them to fight each to the death. It was messy, but it worked.

Dyson struck, grabbing the fae guard. His hand wrapped over the man's mouth and jaw quickly, before the neck was snapped. The man crumpled to the ground like a doll, eyes open wide in surprise. Grabbing the body, he pulled it deeper into the shadowed alley to hide from any bypasses.

Killing fae was not something Dyson had wanted to do, but the slack-jawed guards, eyes shifting with the tell-tale signs of enthralling would eternally be loyal to Bo. Their souls were lost.

It was inevitable that the succubus would know he'd been here, but the longer he could defered attention to give him and Vex a head start back home, the easier it would be to lose their trail.

Around the corner, he could hear Vex's laugh as the last guard, a feline shifter by her scent, ran into the wall until she cracked her skull open.

"They're a lot stronger under Bo's thrall," Dyson noticed.

"Yeah, but it makes for more fun, dontcha think?" Vex replied. "Now, come on, let's have a look-see around the Dal and get out of here before someone sees us." Dragging the body, he heaved and pushed it into a dumpster before grinning up at Dyson. "See, you and me are good at something."

"Don't compare us," Dyson growled. "After everything settles down you'll return to the Dark under a new Morrigan and I'll go back to the Light."

"A new Morrigan?" Vex laughed, "Nah, Evony'll want her job back, she enjoys the power too much even with all that bureaucratic wankers."

Dyson's eyes shifted to the mesmer, "didn't Bo kill her?"

"Kinda...not really. Evony put in place a doppelgänger the moment she found out what the succubus was doing - which seemed to be weeks before you dolts noticed anything fishy was happening."

"And you didn't think to warn us?"

"We thought about it, then we thought since she's so close to you all, you couldn't be that stupid to miss something so big. Guess we're both the idiots now, aint we?" Vex shook his head. "But no, Evony broke her partnership with the Dark Fae land, renounced her title and all. She thought survival was better than the inevitable happening. Bo killed the doppelgänger, thought it was Evony and voila, job well done!"

"So the Morrigan's out there?"

"Evony is, yeah. She's lying in wait, figuring out the best way to survive and gain power again. Wouldn't put it past her to reach out to Bo. Gain a footing and all that, she gets bored lying down low, prefers to take things head on once she knows her cards."

"Bo won't accept her."

"I dunno, Bo's just as power hungry and Evony's know all the workings of the Dark and Light elders. Fingers in all the pies metaphorically speaking. Wouldn't put it past either of them to use each other."

"Bo would be wise not to trust her."

"Or wise to trust her enough to use her up and throw her out. It's a game you see, the same one everyone plays in the Fae world."

Dyson sniffed, breathing in the air as he pushed into the Dal. Eyes glowing gold, he caught mixed far scents, but Trick's was long gone. "Come on," he said, grabbing Vex before someone saw him skulking around.

The sun had only just set and a thin light still cast over the city. Anyone could walk past the alley and see them. However, with the fae activity, warnings had been put out for civilians to stay inside with the usual serial killer on the loose, gang fights or deadly riots over some war bullshit. Whatever kept the humans from leaving their houses when civil war broke out amongst the fae.

The streets were quiet for the most part. The odd car leaving to or from their homes drove past the streets, but little pedestrians. The weather helped keep things miserable, possibly also due to a fae. Dyson hated to admit it, but Bo had all her bases covered.

Inside the Dal it was deadly quiet. The bar was all in once piece, stools and benches in their rightful places, but all the alcohol had been moved.

Dyson could imagine Kenzi hurt expression tossed in with a snarky comment about how all her potential loot had been stolen. Even the cheap stuff. Hopefully Hale was keeping her safe back at the Dal.

"Feels like a ghoul past over the area," Vex muttered. "Do you think she'll open this back up?"

"It was a second home to Bo's. If the echoes of her left an impact on the vessel then she'll open the bar up once she's found Trick or a new barkeep."

"You don't think she killed the barkeep?"

"No. He was her grandfather." Dyson headed down to Trick's lair, pushing open the door. Like the bar, it was empty, everything important had been stripped, but leaving everything else in their rightful place. Bo took her time and care with the place, the assorted knick knacks left behind were all in good condition, left in their places.

Flicking on a light switch, he moved around, going to where he knew vitals scrolls and books were stored. All taken. Anything that wasn't removed by Bo, had probably been by Trick if he'd escaped. There was also the possibility of secrets doors and stashes Dyson wasn't aware of.

"The troll's gone," Vex muttered. "She certainly knows how to empty a place."

Dyson nodded. "She wanted everything."

"Why? Between the Light and Dark archives, she probably has everything, doesn't she?"

"No. Trick had a few things that he'd collected over the years." Dyson turned around, walking carefully through the area. "But what I don't get is why she'd want it. Most of those wouldn't be useful for her."

"Unless she's looking for something," Vex replied. His finger grazed over Trick's desk and at the touch, Dyson's eyes narrowed. Walking over, he pushed aside the mesmer, deaf to his small shout of: "What the hell's wrong with you? A simple move would have bloody sufficed!" as he opened the drawers.

Each one pulled empty, stubbornly he moved around the room, going over other places Trick may have put his kit. Coming up empty, he looked to Vex.

"What's your problem? You're sniffing around the room as if-"

"I know what she wants."

oOoOo

Naomi glared sharply, her foot tapping impatiently as James finished with the last of his patients for shift. She wanted to close the doors to everyone but emergency cases. No exceptions. Half the medical staff needed to sleep, already overworked before War Regulations were put in place.

But James, ever the loyal assistant to his beloved human teacher, kept them open. The team was exhausted, and three of their nurses were missing, probably hiding, which left them short staffed and meant extra hours on shift.

As soon as he hung up the stethoscope, she grabbed his sleeve, dragging him down to Doctor Lewis' office, before shoving him inside. Instantly, James turned to face her as he stumbled for footing. "What-?"

"Shut it, I know Lewis left you in charge." He went quiet, arching an eyebrow. The damn brat, Naomi noted, was the picture of innocence. Why Lauren left him charge- no, actually she knew why, Lewis was as smart as they came, but she was still _human_. The bloody blonde bitch should have chosen her, not the fool.

However, on second thought, she was somewhat glad that he was the one left in charge. When shit went down, he'd be the one to get the blame not her. She was just under _his_ orders of course, being that she was temporarily lower in status. "What do you want?" he asked her suspiciously.

"We need to move these people," Naomi stated, "We can't have them here. _We_ can't be here. As soon as the succubus gains control and finishes up wherever the hell she is, she's going to remember us. Then she's going to do what she's been doing for the last few weeks and come here to inflict control."

"But we're-"

"Not going to be here," Naomi said sugar sweetly, coaxing him into the idea. "We can't be here when all hell comes down and I'll be damned if I let a single patient, Dark or Light, near that succubitch."

James' expression hardened as he moved closer, "Lauren left me in charge, she wanted me to take care of the people Naomi, not you." The harpy blinked, stunned by his sharpness. "And she said that if we try to escape, then Bo will come after us."

"Maybe that's a good thing," she counted. "It will divert her attention, give room for others to take back control. We need the other fae-clans to know."

"And what? Have them unite? They're going to faff around for a few weeks and by that time Bo will have pick them off one-by-one, until none of the Light or Dark Fae Leaders are left with their own minds. Then, after that, she'll release control to the other Ashs and Morrigans in their counties." He shook his head, folding his arms. "We don't have a chance and you know it."

"That's not true. There'll be a rebellion, people will rise up. Not everyone is just going to give in," she hissed. "That bitch can't keep fighting forever and now's the time to escape."

James sniffed in disgust, "you're just afraid. You just want to go home and hide under your covers until this is over."

Over her black-rimmed glasses, Naomi rose tall to stare down him, feeling proud by how much he shrunk beneath her vicious glare. "I can promise you James, where ever we go, she will come. We need to strike back while her defenses are still down from the battle."

"And how? Do you want to get close? How do you think she rose so tall? She took _down _the council, Naomi." Sniffing, he shook his head in disgust, "And moments ago you wanted to run and now you want to fight?"

"I want the Ash back."

"He's dead."

"And she killed him!"

James shook his head, "He died before that. The Garuda remember? This is all its fault. Lauren said-"

"Oh for fuck's sake, Lauren said, Lauren _said_. Doctor fucking Lewis is the bitch's pet. And you know what she does to her? Did you see what the succubus did to her _prized_ human? What do you think she's going to do to us, hmm?"

James went quiet. Lauren's screams still rung in his head, her pleads for the pain to stop, delirious in pain that asked him to just let her die. She'd begged him, screeching for it to just end, but he knew as well as any other medical practitioner of his rank, that he couldn't just stop and finish with a different gauze. Lauren had made her choice and she had to suffer the consequences of it.

"Where do you think Lewis is now?" Naomi continued, "Well let me tell you, she's in the succubus' bed. She's fucking the enemy and telling her how much she loves her."

"This is _war_."

"And you don't jump into the enemy's bed," she replied harshly, hissing the words.

"She's a succubus, maybe she was seduced or-"

"You really think that? Didn't you ever see those two together before then, see how Lauren's eyes lit up, her posture shift. I mean by the Gods, she ever smiled more. Lewis was as lovestruck as any human gets and there was no way to fix that. She's been gone the moment she met that damned woman."

"And what?" James asked, "we should just abandon everything?"

"We should stop taking her words as the gospel truth and start thinking for ourselves." She breathed out, eyes shutting as she adjusted the black rims. "We need a plan. We need to get these people to safety and we need to get ourselves to rebels."

"The rebels?"

"There are rebels. didn't you hear that the succubus is making a team of her guards go searching for them. There's a bounty for any of her precious people brought back alive. Any of the other far and they get paid a pretty nice sum for each one brought alive or dead. It's a damn good incentive if you ask me."

"All the more reason to stay and keep at our jobs. Prove loyalty so we're not so expendable."

"No," Naomi said, shaking her head, "If there's not a rebel alliance we'll make our own, find where all the other escaped fae are hiding. Band together, make a plan and strike back."

"Against the collective fae and the most powerful succubus we've ever seen?"

Naomi shook her head, "it's not about power, it's about plans, structure and battle. I've seen battles, thousands of battles. I used to live for them."

"And then you became a lowly doctor, I don't think so," James and Naomi gasped at the voice, turning to see the woman poised in the doorway, "Your mother was a battle master, you're just an ignorant girl who's listened to too many stories."

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?" James asked.

"Playing dead is much easier and better for the skin," she shrugged. "I was owed a few favors."

"But...what are you doing here?"

Evony shrugged, running her eyes around the office, "I _was _looking for Lauren, but from your little conversation, she's off being a loyal servant." Smirking, the ex-Morrigan pushed off from the doorway she was leaning against to brush imaginary dirt from her red dress. "Be a good dear and leave a message," she informed the harpy. "Tell the polite, _smart _doctor that she needs to get Bo nice and warmed up for me."

"Why?"

"She'll be able to work it out," at that, she pulled away, nodding to the body guard that followed her. "I'll be back in a week, and I'd suggest you two keep your head down before you get killed. This isn't a little unaligned succubus trying to play in the big leagues. This in ancient power that hasn't been tapped for a _very _long time. You'd be wise to keep her happy."

Turning away, she strode out, hips swaying seductively as her guard followed shortly behind.

Naomi swallowed, shoulders pulling back. She turned, looking back to James. "I still say we try."

"Then you're in it alone," James pushed back. "If both the Morrigan-"

"Ex-Morrigan."

"And Lauren are agreed then this is far worse than you're aware."

"Screw you, then." Naomi pulled away, shaking her head. "I'll do it myself."


	5. Chapter 5: Skin

5.

_Experiment 1 - failure_

_Subject took in qi with no signs of discomfort or change from usual feed. Unicorn Blood show no affect to patient's life-force. No foreseeable aftereffects were caused. Although, the original issue remains - being that the Succubus had been laying dormant within the vessel since birth (assumed); a genetic tissue is needed for research. Previous tissue samples have shown no change to succubi genetic make-up, however, no samples have been gathered from the vessel since the first appearance of the Succubus._

Lauren sighed as the bandages were removed. "Some blackening of skin," James noted, "only around the edges, though." Taking a scalpel and tweezers, he carefully peeled back the dead skin.

Lauren laid across the table, stomach down, flicking through a clipboard of papers. Her own notes forgotten beside her. She'd come to an inconclusive point in her own research and had to pull the old file to find all the notes she'd gathered the first time in research, hoping that with new eyes, she'd find something.

However, lying across the table's hard surface was not comfortable. Every available surface was taken by the fae; all of whom were being seen by the medical staff or waiting to be seen.

The area was clustered, noisy and overall busy. The movements and complaints brought comfort to her instead of the cold silence she was left in, in Bo's bedchambers. Never had a silence chilled her since the dungeons.

Hissing, Lauren tensed at the skin removal. "No signs of blood poisoning that I can see, anything else?"

"Nausea, head ache - nothing serious. Give it a few days and see if there are any effects after it's flushed out of my system." A nurse handed her a glass of water, taking it, she greedily drank it down. "Oh, and insatiable thirst."

"Yes well, no alcohol or drugs, your liver and kidneys are working overtime at the moment to flush the blood out. I'd suggest taking notice of how much you drink, as well. Maybe ease up so you don't-"

"I know, I did study the effects, James," she chuckled.

"Of course," he mumbled, nodding. For a moment he'd forgotten that Lauren wasn't just another patient.

"It's okay, it's good that you're getting into that habit." She turned to smile at him briefly before turning back to the notes. "How was yesterday?"

"Yesterday was…"

"Mm?"

He looked up, meeting Naomi's eyes across the room. The harpy was busy. Even as she looked over the woman pregnant with a centaur's child, she still managed to glare over her glasses at him. Looking away, James continued removing the dead tissue.

"Was really busy," he finished flatly. Lauren didn't seem to notice the hesitation. Eyes narrowed, and brow furrowed, she was momentarily distracted by the notes.

"This is incorrect," she murmured, "Unicorn Blood isn't actually _unicorn blood, _it's a toxin made up of synthesized blood cells and extracted venom from- and it _doesn't _have any anti-aging qualities either, that's purely a myth_. _Anyone who actually studied this would know. It's like they got this information off wikipedia." She groaned, throwing the notes down. Time was crucial and without knowing where to look for she was becoming more frustrated.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. Sorry, I'm just…" Letting go of her breath, she tried to drop the tension in her shoulders, "What did you say about yesterday?"

"Yesterday was busy."

Lauren looked over the lab. Busy was an understatement, they were pushing capacity even after they'd processed through the most severe cases.

"We've never had so many before," Many of the fae were just common patients, sick with the flu or suffering common injuries that Lauren would diagnosis, fix and send on their way with a short 'come back if the problem persists'. Very few were critical patients; most of them had been dealt with, the others were dead.

"The Dark Fae have closed their doors."

"That would explain it." Taking a breath, she adjusted herself on the table, lying her chin down on folded arms. "Well, I'll talk to Bo about it, see if I can get some of the Dark Fae medical staff over there to open it back up."

James paused at the words, disgusted by how casual she sounded when speaking of the succubus. "Doctor Lewis, if I may be crass?"

"Go ahead."

"What's your...relationship…with the Queen?"

"She's not queen yet, a vote has to go out through the clans in agreement that Bo's the right choice - not that they will fight her, but protocols are still in motions until she rewrites them." Lauren sighed, wincing as more skin was pulled from her back. The new skin was extremely sensitive and the previous night had left her almost raw in Bo's bed, unable to crawl out until that morning. "Bo and I…" she trailed off, shutting her eyes. "I don't even know if I'm just her slave or if I mean something to her."

"Doctor Lewis?"

"Yes, James?"

"Maybe...maybe running _is_ the right option."

"It's not." She licked her lips before turning to look over her shoulder. "This morning, three fae were brought in by Bo's guards. Do you know what happens to those those that get caught?"

"They get executed."

"No, not quite. They have a choice. They can take an oath and become one of Bo's guardsmen. She'll…" Lauren trailed off, hating that she knew, "She'll enthrall them, make them one of hers so that they're eternally loyal - but...they also have the option to become a blood sacrifice."

"A...a sacrifice?"

Swallowing, she shut her eyes briefly to process the information. "When the arena's built, they'll be cast into an area. Ideally Bo sees it as sport. Fae hunting after their prey. Once caught, the winning fae can do as they wish with them; kill, feed...enslave if they want to. That will be the price of treason. I mean, she's stripping them of all their basic rights." Lauren felt disgusted at thought of it, remembering how Bo straddled her hips and spoke of the arena with such pride. "It's...vulgar and horrific and…"

"Wrong."

"For the moment they're locked up in the Dark Fae dungeons." Rolling her shoulders, she shook her head. Bo's eyes haunted her. The blue had been extraordinarily bright with excitement when she'd told her, lips wide in a cruel grin.

The succubus was far smarter than _her _Bo, in all aspects. She had so many _plans_ for the future, some Lauren was sure she'd taken from fictional books and movies, stylized ideas that she found attractive. The woman was even reading through old laws, looking through history for new ideas about where governments went wrong and right.

If Lauren weren't so afraid, she would have thought it somewhat genius. "Don't run. Not even if you think you can make it."

Her assistant's hands shook. Fearful of hurting her, he placed down the scalpel. "Are you sure you're allowed to tell me these things?"

Lauren laughed at the question. "Yes, actually. She thinks that the fae should have an open policy, allow people to know what she has planned so they can speak up if they think it won't work. She actually _wants _other opinions. And right now, she's making appointments with fae who have lived through thousands of years, to find out where they thought governments went wrong."

"Doesn't she have...you know, duties to attend to?"

"She delegates her duties to those better equipped. Bo's actually _aware _of her strengths and weaknesses and is using others to her advantage. I mean, there are still weak spots: the medical system, school, oh, and legal has a giant hole in it until she reaches to the Elders- but...she's working on that. She's trying and at least says that she cares."

Lauren shook her head. Currently the Elders were only dimly aware that there was a revolution happening. Until one of them visited, and Bo was counting on it, they would only know of an unstable ground between Light and Dark, and rumors too extravagant and ridiculous to be true.

However, they barely had twitched when Aoife tried to take over with a suicide bomber. This was...so much more. Their actions could range anywhere between simply assassinating Bo, to completely demolishing the area to keep control before it got out of hand.

It depended on how strong Bo was.

"School?" Her assistant asked. Lauren blinked at the question, "You mentioned Bo's...fixing? the school system?"

"Oh, right, it's another thing she wants to change. She said that the school system is all wrong. She watched some TED talk or something," Lauren spoke, rolling her eyes. "And now she says that arranging students in groups of age was ridiculous because kids mature at different rates, so they should be grouped together in levels of academics, separated so that they're learning at _their _rate. That way you may have eight year olds in the same group as a sixteen year old in English, while in the same class as maybe a nine year-old in maths, but because they're all _equal _it makes it easier to learn, instead of teaching classes aimed at the 'average' rate. I mean, how's she going to change that system? That would require new strategies, new teaching methods, new teachers! The entire academic system would have to shift over the years because they can't do that all at once!"

"Ah...doctor Lewis?" James asked, Lauren had collapsed, head in hands by the end of her speech and begun sobbing. "Lauren, are you okay?"

Sniffing, she pulled back, wiping her eyes, "I'm fine," she murmured, "fine, I'm just...it's not _Bo. _She doesn't even call herself Bo any more. This morning she went to a meeting and introduced herself as _Ysabeau_. I mean it's her name… But there are moments, and they're brief and beautiful but there a moments when I can just pretend it's Bo and I crave those moments _so_ badly but I hate myself and I _hate _her because it feels like-it feels like I'm..."

Taking a breath, she shook her head, slowly masking her features back again. James stood nervously, flexing his hands beside her as he looked away. He'd never seen her in such a state before.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, noticing how she'd upset him, "I'm just tired and exhausted. Weather changes and emotional changes and trauma…" she began to babble on about hormones and brain chemicals and how her brain was fracturing to adjust before she stopped and looked back over her shoulder at James. "I just...I just need some time in something familiar. Do you mind if I stay here a while?"

She watched her assistant shift on his feet. A part of him terrified at seeing his mentor break down suddenly and then just as quickly recede back into a semi-stable version of her self. He wanted to ask her if there was anything he could do, or get her. He wanted to make sure that Bo wouldn't hurt her if she went missing from her room.

But Doctor Lewis was looking at him with big eyes, her face appearing both years older and younger than she was. So he nodded, smiling softly, "as long as you need doctor Lewis. I'm just going to finish on your back, is that okay?"

"No, yeah that's fine." She went quiet temporarily, lying back down on her stomach as he finished carefully removing the blackened skin. "How are we going on supplies?"

"We're stocked up, but if things keep hitting us like they are, we're going to need more."

"I'll get the Dark Fae labs open."

oOoOo

"You know, this isn't what I had in mind: carrying a bunch of crap from the hearse, that _I _got and drove mind you, to here."

Dyson's irritation of being around Vex for so long, had gotten to eye-twitching stage. "It was only a couple of hours walk, _not _including the breaks you insisted on."

Vex muttered under his breath, lugging the child's trailer behind him. Roped down, the red trailer was _packed _with items. Dyson instead went for carrying the duffel bags without any help.

From the distance, where she'd been sitting in the tree, Kenzi had seen Dyson walking through the woods. Once she was sure they weren't shape-shifters or doppelgängers there to kill her, she had dropped down from the branch and ran over to see them. Half-running up to them, she paused only briefly to focus on Vex with a short _what the fae_, before turning to Dyson. "Did you get-?"

"Yes, there's chocolate, and I got your clothes."

"I love you," she murmured, running the last meter to tackle-hug him. But just as quickly, she pulled back to punch him in the arm. "But dude! Seriously? Don't ever, _ever_ scare us like that again!"

"We were only gone a day, Kenz."

"Yeah, and I had to eat a rabbit and F-Y-I Hale can _not _cook!" She frowned up at him, eyes so big and wide that Dyson could see just how heavily not knowing had affected her. "I was worried," she murmured.

Reaching down, her hugged her again, "You should know by now that whatever life has to throw at us, I always make it through."

"I know now!" Stepping back, she folded her arms and glared enough to make Vex cringe. "But really, next time - cuz I tote's know there's gonna be a next time with us and the fae - just _call_ or _text _or howl, whatever fae thing that works."

Dyson laughed. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

Shaking her head, Kenzi moved towards the bags she _knew _were from the crack shack. "How was it though? You both seem to be in good shape; no bones poking out or missing limbs - and _what _are you doing here by the way?" she turned to Vex, now settled enough to address the issue.

It was midday, and without even caring what either of the guys thought, she rummaged through bags, pulling out the first edible thing (candy bar) and sticking it in her mouth as she was caught up-to-date about Vex, Bo, and the Morrigan's not-so-death.

"Wait, wait wait!" She chewed on the bar, quickly swallowing the last bite, "god it's good to have real food again."

"It was one day," Vex said, baffled at the reaction.

"One day of raw, cold stew!" she returned. "But back track- Bo's _queen_?"

"No, she's _going _to be queen."

"O-kay then. Wait to go all Evil Xena and try that out. Next thing you know she'll be calling her self conqueror of the lands and- well she has the doctor to be the Gabby to her Xena I guess."

"Conqueror does have a nice ring to it," Vex murmured.

"I know right?"

"You two alright, there?" Dyson asked. Flushing, Kenzi moved to grab some of the bags Dyson was carrying.

"Sorry," she said, moving them quickly towards the cabin with little complaint.

Vex, at the size of the small room, was flabbergasted. "We're not staying in here, are we?" he demanded. Kenzi shrugged, dumping the two bags on the red armchair. She'd deal with that later, right now she wanted more food. "Supplies aren't eternal, you know. I'd keep the eating to a minimal."

"There are animals, and I'm sure the D-man can cook a better stew, and actually _start _a proper fire."

"Wait, you telling me that this shithole don't even have a proper oven or nothin'?"

Kenzi looked up at Vex, eyes briefly flashing around their surroundings. The cabin had four walls, a roof, and to the best of her knowledge there wasn't a leak for when it rained. Although there was a slight draft from the floor, no electricity, and no denying it's coziness - to put it nicely - it wasn't all bad. At least not in the current weather.

"What's your problem?" she asked. "We're safe."

"For now," Dyson murmured, "it won't take long for Bo's squad to start realizing that people have run off to the woods. We'll need to move then."

"Where?"

"Back to the city. Hiding in plain sight is the best option."

Kenzi frowned, "but then why are we hiding out here in the first place, I mean, if we're supposed to go to the city-"

"It's not safe yet, we need to let it settle down first. Right now, Bo's on high alert. She's aware that she's at a weakness with the new turnover. But once she finds her grounding, she'll pull back her forces and then we can move in."

Dyson began unpacking gear, moving stuff around to make room. Opening up one of the duffel bags Kenzi had, he pulled out a portable radio.

"Where's Hale?" he asked as noticed the sudden lack of presence.

"He's just-"

"Dyson! You made it man!"

"There," Kenzi said, biting into another candy bar before gulping down some of the bottled water. "Sweet nectar, this is ambrosia!"

Turning, Dyson looked to Hale standing in the doorway, rabbit strung over his shoulder. Dropping it to the wooden table he walked over to slap his mate on the back in a brief hug. "For a little while I thought you got caught and had to go underground for a while. I had dibs on the motorcycle if you were gone for over a week."

"Yeah well, you would of needed to killl three fae to get to it."

"Three? You're losing touch, man."

"Well, not to brag-"

"Oh, _please_."

"-I killed a few more at your apartment, not to mention Bo's place and-"

"As touching as this moments is, I think we have a little issue," Vex said, calling attention to himself. "Look, it's all nice and all that we have this itty-bitty cabin, but you realize that the four us? We've got nothing against the amada your succubus is building."

"Bo's got the Spanish Navy?" Kenzi gasped.

"No, you idiot, but she's building one. I mean- not a spanish navy, but an army. And what do you three wankers want to do? Sit around, fingers up your bums as she begins to take over the rest of the world? At this rate, the bitch will have the the country at her fingertips by Christmas. The world within a decade. And that," he said, turning to face Kenzi, "may seem like a load of time for your puny human lifespan, but for Fae that aint a blink of an eye."

"But…" Kenzi flickered her gaze around nervously, looking between the three men that faced her, "What _do _we do? I mean, do we build an army- no actually, _how _do we even build an army?"

"How do we _build_ an army?" Vex spluttered. "You find the rebels, every single one who can help, and then you pray very very hard to a higher power because you're not going to get them to join you unless you can offer something _they _want. And you aint got shit. Basically you're gonna want one that's already there for the taking."

Dyson nodded, "he's right. Our best chance is to get in contact with other clans, then make sure they act before Bo gets a chance to realize what's happening."

"Good luck with that, my opinion is that you're better off going to the clans directly, Dark or Light, those leaders are gonna shit around debating about the best away to get rid of the whole mess and then they're going to try to bloody _reason _with her if they actually take her for a threat. Bureaucratic load of bollocks is what it is. "

"Once Bo draws them to her, she'll either kill them or force them into submission one-way-or-another," Dyson finished.

Kenzi looked between the two, "But Lauren's working on a cure, she can fix Bo and then we'll have to do some clean-up duty, but it'll be fine in a while. Like the whole thing with Bo's mum blew over."

"How's the doc gonna work? Her talents only can go so far when she's in Bo's sheets. What she gonna do? Orgasm the bitch outta there?"

"It could work," Kenzi said meekly. "I mean, maybe love is the cure?"

Vex didn't even both to respond. Snorting, he turned to face the other two fae. "Right, look. Evony's got some contacts, other Dark Fae leaders in different areas. I can arrange a meeting, all hush-hush, but it'll be your job to get them to see reason - and trust me, it aint gonna be easy. Load of tossers, these are. You have to make 'em scared of her to get any kind of reaction."

Hale shook his head, "this is not what I had planned. Talking to Dark Fae leaders sounds like dangerous stuff. They're just as likely to kill us."

"It's either this or guerrilla warfare," Dyson murmured.

"I like that idea more," Kenzi nodded. "We could totally train like fae gorilla's to go all King Kong on Bo."

oOoOo

Bo looked up from the computer briefly to stare at her. "What do you want me to do?"

Nervously, Lauren shifted on her feet, hands trembling at her sides. Standing in what used to be the Ash's office, she found that the room suddenly seemed extravagantly big, making her feel insignificantly small. Every sound echoed around her and the stone structures, deafening her ears. "The Light Fae's-"

"There's no Light Fae."

Lauren nodded, trying to swallow back her fear, "The, ah, the medical facility h-here is at full capacity. We need the...the other labs to be opened."

Bo tilted her head, studying the doctor. Her eyes dragged from the bare feet, up the black slacks and over the cream blouse pausing only momentarily at the breasts. She watched Lauren's eyes, amber in the filtered light, flickered nervously from over the desk, to her own eyes. "Enlightenment me, who informed you of this...issue?"

"I…" Lauren's eyes shut, "I was there and-"

"You don't have to be so afraid, Lauren. You're allowed to walk around."

"I-I am?"

"Of course," she laughed. The sound cut through Lauren, flushing her cheeks shamefully as though she should have _known _that Bo allowed her freedom. "You can walk as you please, where you please. As long as you abide the rules set in place, I see no problem. However, I don't want you in the labs working."

"Why?" Lauren demanded, "I'm a proficient doctor, _better _than other doctor in this county. I've proven myself in that more than once to the fae."

"See, that's the thing, I can't allow you to work. If I just continue to give you things then you would become very spoiled. And I won't allow you to be another brat. So until you've proven yourself to meyou're on suspension."

Lauren nodded, hissing in a breath. "My worth," she spat. Her worth could be proven in the labs, aiding people, _saving _them. She couldn't prove her damned worth in Bo's bed.

Even if sometimes-

No. She didn't want to think about that.

"But we'll discuss that another time." Bo rose from the chair, moving to stand tall behind the desk. With a long look, she beckoned Lauren forward and gestured for the guards to leave. "Tell me about this predicament."

"You need to open up a second medical facility, where the Dark Fae used to reside, there-"

"Yes. The place has been ransacked. I've shut down the area until the fae have settled back down."

"But you could move people, push them into fixing it up and get it open within a few days. Or at least, have the medical staff that used to work there, move supplies and have them work under regulations _here _in these labs. Even if you had them in separate areas to avoid conflict between Li- ex Light and Dark Fae, it'll mean more lives saved, more people on shift and the chance for the medical staff to actually sleep." Lauren was desperate as she stood before Bo. They were her people. Her patients, and her staff wether she was there or not.

And they _needed _her.

But Bo's eyes gazed through her. Brows furrowed in thought. Not for the first time, Lauren felt herself become an ornament for the succubus' pleasure, instead of a person. "Bo, please."

"And why should I do this?" the succubus asked.

Lauren stared in shock, mouth dry as she fumbled. She didn't think Bo would shoot her down, not with such an issue.

"If you don't have an answer, I would think your time be best spent preparing an adequate response before you return again with such a request."

Again, Lauren gaped in shock. Never had she been so disregarded since...since _Lachlan._ She glared, hands clenching by her sides before an idea hit her.

Remembering the pillow talk from that morning, she quickly spoke, "because you want to unite the fae, having them work together to heal those from opposing side would force a sense of unity. They'd see each other for who they were and under practice, when they're in the moment, they'd barely notice who they're working on or if their nurse used to be Light or Dark."

Bo rolled her head in thought. "It's my belief that people can hold grudges for a long time, uniting people against something is much easier than _for _something."

"People are dying, _your _people because we don't have the space to take care of everyone. Our doctors and our nurses are exhausted because they're overworked and it hasn't even been a week yet. They can't continue at this rate!"

"And why not?"

Lauren glared, forgetting her place as she leant over the desk at Bo, "If you do this, then you're nothing but a tyrant!"

Bo's expression was impassive. Running her hands down the suit she wore, she straightened the black jacket before pulling her phone out. Without even a glance or explanation, she turned away from Lauren, the straight ponytail flicking in the movement as she rang her delegated leader over in the ex-Dark Fae quarters. "Rosa, open the labs. Inform every staff member who used to work there, that if they're not in the doors by sundown, it'll be seen at treason." The phone clicked off before a reply could be met.

"Thank you."

Bo turned back, meeting the doctor's eyes. Flicking down the cream blouse, she gave a sharp not, "Remove your shirt."

Recoiling at the demand, Lauren stood straighter, crossing arms over her chest. "Why?"

Bo disregarded the question, undoing her jacket. Removing it carefully, she hung it on the back of the chair. Lauren's eyes flicked to it, forgetting the command as she fought the sudden urge to tell Bo off for not immediately hanging it up.

"You had your bandages removed, I want to see the effects of the Unicorn Blood," Bo said when Lauren made no move to undress.

"Oh." Understanding the curiosity, she moved her fingers to the zipper on her side. Carefully undressing from her shirt, Lauren folded and placed it down on the desk with structured tidiness before then walking over to Bo.

At a gesture of twirling fingers, she obediently turned her back to the succubus, and pulled her hair over one side of her shoulder to allow an absolute view.

Bo grabbed her hips, turning her to face the desk. Lauren bumped against the wood uncomfortably, hands dropping to the desk as Bo then slid her hands around the waist and over the back muscles. Carefully she traced the outskirts of the new skin, running up the expanse of pink, before hitting the bra. Without asking, she unhooked the strap, sliding the white cotton down the toned arms before dropping the material over to where the cream blouse laid.

Lauren's only reaction was a small quiver that slipped down her spine as beaded droplets.

"It's almost as though nothing happened," Bo spoke, her hands returning to touch over the soft flesh. The pink was smooth, but at a single press, it would crumple like a satin ribbon. The flesh however, golden and pale compared to her own, was far more pliable, softer even as it shivered beneath her touch. "Though, even if this fades, I'm sure you'll remember it all perfectly."

Lauren didn't reply, Bo's fingers on her back had set her heart racing and adrenaline coursing through her veins. She could feel the mix of serotonin, electric and hot beneath her flesh. Pushing her body closer to the desk, her fingertips pressed down on the mahogany to hold herself steady.

Echoes of yesterday slipped over her; Bo's touch, the synthetic desire that shocked through her with each crack, each constricted whimper that resonated through her until synthetic began to blur naturally in response.

She swallowed breathlessly with the ghosted movements, eyes squeezing shut to gain control.

Bo's hands trailed down over the new skin, then to the expanse of soft, un-struck flesh before finally resting on the waistband of the black pants. Her thumbs hooked, pulling Lauren's hips backwards and leading the doctor to bend over the desk.

"You're heart is racing," she murmured, pressing a kiss to the nape of Lauren's neck. Brushing loose blonde strands back over the shoulder, she glided her hand back down the spine, over to where Lauren's heart would rest through to the other side. "Even here, I can feel it beating. Are you scared?"

"No," Lauren breathed.

"Worried perhaps, then?"

"No."

"Then what?" Voice low, husky, she leaned in to brush her lips against the ear. "Tell me what you're feeling."

She knew. Lauren knew she could see her energy bright and desperate, but the damned woman _wanted _her to say it, craved to hear Lauren's breathless voice admit. Lips twisting, she glared down the podium, over the empty room where each breath vibrated against the walls, and spoke, "succumbed."

She refused to say the desired word.

Bo laughed, her breasts pressed against Lauren's back hard enough, that even through the shirt she wore, the doctor could feel laughter vibrate against her. "Succumbed? What have you succumbed to?"

"_You,_" she growled.

Bo's hands dropped down to the waistband, snaking over the edges of bare skin until coming to the zipper. Undoing the top button with slow care, she popped the silver. Lauren hissed then, hating how the sound made her leg quiver before Bo's lips pressed to her bare shoulder. She breathed out, feeling the pull and gradual unzip.

The vibration shook through her sex, sound making her tense and loathe herself.

"So you've succumbed to me?"

"I hate you," she cursed as a thumb bluntly ran along her naval, "I hate you more than anyone else." Lauren felt her hips move in response, pressing against Bo's body as she leaned further over the desk. Her heart seemed to beat harder, body pushing to the succubus, wanting to press further until every inch of skin was against Bo's.

"Tell me how much you hate me," Bo replied, intrigued by the vexation. Her fingers curled around the black material, feeling Lauren's body move, lifting from the slacks.

"I hate what you've done, what you've become," Lauren replied, shivering as her pants were edged down by one hand and Bo's other moved to slide up her stomach muscles. She felt hot when touched, but cold against the exposed skin.

"Tell me more."

"I hate your touch, I hate how much…" she trailed off, rolling her head as succubi lips brushed against the hollow of her neck. A tongue slipping out, pressing to the spot as she accidentally moaned.

"How much what?" Bo pushed, her feet edged Lauren's apart as the pants held stuck around the knees.

"How much I want _you," _the doctor hissed, her anger only growing. She blinked her eyes open to glare, scowling as she focused on the opposing walls. Her hands were sprawled out, flat against the table and she pushed until her spine lengthened and she could feel the suit's pants press against her ass.

"Oh?" the hand on Lauren's stomach rode up, slipping over a breast. Holding it in grip, Bo squeezed before pushing her thigh smoothly between the blonde's.

Lauren rocked, a small gasp shuddering from her as friction rubbed against the white cotton underwear, slowly heating in long movements until Bo could feel the dampness seep through her pants.

Lauren _hated _her, hated her more than she could understand, but she hated her less than herself. Control had trembling being lost as she found herself squeezing against the thigh.

"How much do you want me?" Bo asked, lips kissing beneath the ear. She grasped again at the breast, pinching the nipple between the length of her ring and index finger. Lauren's sharp intake, followed by her a low rock of hips had her deliciously intoxicated.

Bo could actually smell the sharp scent of arousal already thick in the air, she could feel a dampness between her own legs building as she slowly dragged her thigh away one last time against the cunt, before leaving Lauren exposed in her absence.

"Lauren…" she sung, reminding her. "How much do you want me?"

"Badly."

"How badly?" Her left hand slid up the bare thighs, a single finger pressing through the folds, against the sex. Even through the white damn cotton a stretched whimper shivered from the blonde, before Bo curled her fingers around the waistband and edged the panties down.

Lauren sucked in a breath, eyes closing as she felt the cool air brush over her sex. The heat ached, fluctuation with arousal as Bo's hand squeezed at her breast once more, fingers moving until a thumb held, twisting playfully with the nub. "You know how badly."

Bo laughed, pushing with her hand to guide Lauren's body up until she stood tall against her. Feet edged apart and pants around her knees for anyone to see, Lauren feared that Bo would call someone in, or the guards would allow a messenger to pass, and she'd be on show, legs spread open, breasts exposed as rode Bo's hand.

No. She wouldn't. Lauren was sure that even Bo wasn't that cruel.

But as much as she feared such a thing, excitement in the possibility of getting caught, made eyes roll back and arousal drip down her thigh.

"Why do you hate this?" Bo asked. Holding Lauren to her. She could feel the doctor's body stretch with each breath, her surgeon hands, skillfully sliding up her to grasp. "Uh-uh, at your side or I'll cuff them."

Clenched tightly, Lauren dropped them to her sides, raking her own nails against the palms to steady them. Her eyes held open sharply, fighting only briefly before Bo dragged a finger over her cunt once more. This time, a deep longing moan erupted at the tease. "_Bo," _she pleaded, a small convulse shaking inside of her.

"Tell me why you hate this."

"Because…"

"Because?" Two fingers slid over in a long, painfully slow stroke that started down and slickly caressed up over to the clit.

"Oh _god. _Because of how much I…" the words lost temporarily as she let go into a moan, "I crave it…because, with each...moment I forget. I forget what you've done and all I can feel is-"

Finger slid inside, cutting her words off. On her toes, Lauren thrust into the hand, her eyes rolling skyward to stare up as Bo held her tight. "This?" Bo asked, "is this what you hate to feel, _crave_ to feel? Is _this," _she drove hard, "why you hate me?"

"_Yes." _Lauren bucked, thighs clenching around the hand. She shut her eyes, biting her tongue to stop from crying out. Her breath panted, chest heaving for control of herself.

The cry came when Bo removed the fingers and held stickily onto her hip. Lauren felt her knees weaken, twitches from herself as she sobbed at the loss. "Then perhaps I should drop you here, allow you to dress and leave so you may love me."

"Don't you dare," Lauren hissed, the words however painfully spoken, pleaded for the return "Don't you- _ah." _The two fingers stroked down, allowing Lauren to sigh as she rolled back into it, wishing desperately for them to be inside of her once more. She could feel the vibration of a laugh against her, hand squeezing her breast, playing with her.

Suddenly being a plaything didn't seem so bad. She didn't give a fuck what people thought of her, as long as those fingers continued to stroke and twist and dive inside.

"I could make you scream, make the guards come rushing with fear only to find you at my beckon. I could make you come again in front of them."

"I'm not your _whore _to parade around_," _Lauren said sharply. Frustration bubbling through her even yet as she was pushed closer and closer to the edge.

"But you are _mine_."

Hands held at her sides, Lauren dug into her thighs as she pushed against Bo's hand. Desperate, she lifted hands slowly up the expanse of thighs, needing to grasp, to hold and clench. But before she could react, the hand on her breast disappeared. Gasping, she heard the desk's drawer sliding open before metal cuffed around her wrist. Her wrist was pulled behind her back where the other was immediately paired in cuffs.

"I told you to keep them at your sides," Bo said, amused. Without warning, she was bent down onto the desk, cheek pressed flat as Bo held her still. "If you're so impatient for this, then let me give you what you want." She parted the legs as wide apart as they would allow in their material bindings, fingers entering into her cunt again, as Bo's other hand held over the small of Lauren's back.

Resiliently, she twisted the cuffs, groaning with sharp intakes before allowing the humiliation when finally she was given so crudely what she wanted. A third finger slipped inside. Her arousal, thick and wet allowed little friction against the hand, but Bo's touch was, erotic, sadistic. She allowed her succubi nature to take front and pulsated a glowing thrust that expanded over Lauren's walls, through her very core until she trembled, hands pullings at their bindings until metal creaked and her mouth opened wide in silent scream that gasped and slipped.

No thought came, no memory or sound or sight. Only sensation. Absolute, eternal sensation that shook her very soul until she fell to her knees, forehead pressing against the desk.

She panted, her body still twitched in ending recovery from the epic climax.

She hadn't even felt Bo's fingers leave her, but the absence was cold now, noticeable. She almost wished they were in bed so she may fall asleep with the woman still inside her.

Slowly, the succubus knelt down beside her, pressing a gentle kiss to her shoulder. Undoing the handcuffs, she pulled Lauren's limp body into her lap and pressed another kiss, much sweeter, to the woman's parted lips.

"How much do you hate me now?"

Lauren laughed, body limp in the warm embrace. Her chest heaved with breath, as her mind became too fogged to understand the question completely. Instead she nodded slowly, murmuring something incoherent as she rested against her queen.

oOoOo

**Author's Note: Okay, so I'm putting this up a couple of hours early, otherwise I'll do something stupid and decide nope, want to rewrite the entire thing. I promise things will start heating up with more action soon! And that I'll answer ~all reviews around Wednesday! **


	6. Chapter 6: Plan

6.

Evony's fingers clicked over the keyboard, her eyes narrowing over the papers beside her on the glass desk. The night was wearing on her, and as much as she adored her little abode she had kept for such emergencies, she yearned for the freedom. It was just _too_ small, _too _plain and seeing the same thing over and over again was quite dull. She really needed to redecorate.

And there was a startling lack of drama inside the safe house. _Yawn._

She was also getting itchy for a new dress. Her personal shopper, unfortunately, had made a bad run-in with one of the succubus' bounty hunters and she was left with no new additions to her wardrobe. "Ma'am?"

She looked up, eyebrow raised. "Deidrie?" she frowned.

"Err, she- ah, the um."

"Out with it," Evony snapped, flicking her eyes back to the notes. Multi-tasking was a skill she had mastered _centuries_ ago. She just wished her subordinates were at least half as skilled as herself. But who was she kidding? Good help was so rare these days.

"She's taken the communication towers."

"The communication towers?" Evony rose her eyes to face the young woman, some mild family name who was more boast than talent. She might have to replace her when all this blew over. Make her look after her pets instead of running whatever she was doing.

"Only two of the towers. And they're still running. Humans noticed only a minor surge in the connection, but we believe she's planning to use them to broadcast something."

Evony smiled, admiring the move. "That's bold. Certainly dangerous. The council's sure to take notice of _that_." Her nails flicked through the papers, pulling out the finance and transfer sheet before placing it on top. She'd only painted the nails yesterday and already the red was beginning to chip.

But war had its sacrifices.

"Won't that mean-"

"Yes, yes. I'm well aware of what it means. Now, leave unless there's anything else?" she looked up, cocking her head to watch the young girl fidget. Staring, she watched as Deirdrie nervously fidgeted before placing down a stack of papers.

"Vex checked in, he sent this."

Evony glanced through the notes. "Bo's human, the wolf and the siren are playing hide-away in the woods? That _would_ certainly gain favor with the succubus." She sighed, placing it down, "Irrelevant though, we need them alive."

"What do you suggest then?"

"Tell Vex to continue with the plan. See what the Council says, maybe they can contain the issue." The girl nodded, then paused, waiting for dismissal. "Now," she ordered, patronizing the young girl just to see her eyes bulge before she skittered away from her office.

As the door shut, Evony rolled her shoulders stiffly before sitting back in the chair and looking to the computer. So far, the Council didn't think Bo of a threat. As they saw it, she was a minor nuisance in a small area. They'd deal with the issue after discussion, which meant they were currently having a meeting and would vote on what to do.

Which could take _weeks._ She didn't have weeks. The longer that bitch was in power, the more paperwork she'd have. She had to cancel _all_ of her appointments for last week and get her _human_ lower department running everything else to cut costs. It was a disaster.

However, there were slightly more important things to worry about. This entire bullshit could either end very badly with an absolute annulment, or it could end with Bo getting what she wanted. Either way, there would be plenty of blood spill and Evony had to play her hand carefully. If there was going to be an annulment, she would pack her bags and leave before her assistant could rise from his desk.

If there was going to be talks of 'peace' with the succubus, then she was going to have to play nice. Ugh. Half of her hoped this down turned into a crater just to avoid _that._

Evony rose, pushing away from the desk. The fucking succubus was probably giving her wrinkles right now from this just giant headache. Holding out her hand, she snapped her fingers until her assistant came running in.

Micah was a young fae, just out of the Dawning. He was some interesting fae she couldn't give a fuck about, some emotional empath of some sort or something. It wasn't _her _business to know. All she cared about was that he was going to make the same mistake her last assistant had.

And he hadn't. If anything, he was better. Always her right hand, knowing to stay away when she needed him to, or bring in some new food when she was anxious. A little dull, and only mildly pretty with those cheekbones, but he had a nice voice. She didn't even mind catching him singing at times.

All in all, he was much better than whatsherface who killed herself.

"Ma'am?"

"Ugh," she sighed, "such a matron word. Can't we find another? _Madame _has a nice ring," she purred. Micah smiled that half-idiot, puppy smile and it was hard to be anything but amused.

"Madame, is there anything I can-"

"When did I agree to visit the human doctor?"

"Doctor Lewis?" he paused, fumbling in his notes until he pulled out her day planner. "Not until Thursday."

"Bor-_ring_," she sang. "I want this done and over with. Work with the succubus or leave to another country. This limbo shit is fucking up my schedule." Sighing she slowly walked around, thinking over her options. "What _is _the doctor up to?"

"According to our spy-"

"Another word."

"Madame?"

"_Spy_ is so _seventies_. Espionage and secrecy was all Cold War era." She pouted then, missing the days when everyone was on edge. It'd been just one, great big feeding pen where the slightest ripple could set off another war. _Exciting_ for the twentieth century. But that entire era had been filled with tension and so much _creativity _to exploit. God bless the drug market.

So far this century was boring. She missed the days where everyone was fighting everyone else. She especially missed close-hand combat. Barbarians and vikings, and all that red-blooded _passion_.

"Madame?"

"What?"

"Our scouts haven't seen her enter the lab. They assume she's in the bedroom suite with the succubus. Though they have picked up news that there's a project going ahead in the lower levels."

"Oh? Go on," she said, interested to hear what the succubus might be planning.

Nervously, her assistant flicked through his notes. "She's working quickly, shifting information. Not much is known, but we suspect Doctor Lewis will be involved in some way. The attachment to her doesn't make sense, otherwise."

Evony rolled her eyes, flicking her hand. "The succubus was raised by humans, she has a little soft spot for them. Though, I'll admit I expected her to keep a tighter grip on the other human. Her little russian - ukrainian - whatever pet. What's her name?"

"Kenzi?"

"Yes. Kenzi." She rolled the name on her tongue. "Odd that she chose the blonde. Perhaps the doctor does have her uses though. She could beat my scientists if we pushed her." Sniffing at the idea of a _human_ being better than fae, Evony shook her head, looking out over the artwork decorating her walls.

She'd stolen pieces, especially from Germany when the second war happened. Others had been bought, authentic pieces of course. There were many lows Evony Marquise may stoop, but _fake_ wasn't one of them.

Her favorite, she owned, was a recovered Gustav Klimt from the war, she'd had a very talented forger 'return' his copy, after having a very highly esteemed dealer 'authenticate' that she'd indeed returned the original.

However, that beautiful artwork was at _her_ estate, not here in her safe house.

"Anything else I should know?"

"Naomi Kleins, a light fae doctor working in the compound, seems to be preparing patients to be moved to safe houses," he informed, closing the book. "Other than that, you've been kept up to date with information."

"Naomi? The valkyrie."

"Harpy."

"Well that explains it. Short tempered breed. Stupid girl. Perhaps I'll watch her get shot. I wonder if the succubus will kill just her, or the patients as well," she mused.

Micah smiled quite cruelly, and a small bead of pride welled up inside of Evony, "shall we take wagers?"

oOoOo

Bo's lips pressed to the exposed skin, before sliding her tongue against the hollow of the neck. Salt crystals were crumbled over Lauren's skin, her pores open to perspire as she arched into the touch. She could see the human's eyes flutter with sleep, hear a low moan in her voice trembling with dreams.

This was Ysabeau's favorite time, the moments when wetness would seep between Lauren's thighs, her cunt glistening as a single finger ran over the folds. She could release her touch if desired; watch the hips trembles, the walls squeezing in reaction, desperate to have a finger or a tongue to embrace.

But she was content in just observing what a bare touch could elicit. Soft trembles over the stomach muscles when she grazed her tips over the naval, a quick intake of breath that rose and fell with a wanton moan, goosebumps rising as she traced blunt nails over the edges of breasts.

She'd wet her fingers and trace over the areola, watching those bumps rise, skin grow taught before she'd pinch over the nipple between a slick thumb and forefinger. The skin would darken, slow enough that Ysabeau was sure to miss it. _Next time_, she would always promise, next time she'd remember to watch carefully.

She wanted to see everything, to know everything about Lauren's body. She wanted to be able to make the woman tremble deliciously, eyes dilated in all-consuming arousal without ever releasing a stream of her own decadent succubi nature.

Sometimes Lauren would awake, eyes flickering open to sleepily gaze up at her. Her thighs would slide against each other, chest raising as she parted her mouth in a slow breath. In those times, Lauren would wait for her to lean down and press their lips together in a simple taste. She'd wait to feel the tongue slide against hers, before the hot mouth would drop back to her jawline, tasting up the canvas of skin.

But there were also moments when Lauren didn't wake, when sleep held her heavy in embrace and Ysabeau would watch her expression as she slid her fingers between the breasts, gliding over the ribs, down the dip and across the naval until her fingers would slip between the wet folds, parting them open with two opposing digits, for a middle to slide down between.

Hungrily, she would then sit up to observe Lauren's reaction; the whimpers and trembling hands, her head rolling as the chest rose and fell in a shuddered breath. She'd clench, wanting and slowly, dreamily rolling.

Bo would slide a knee between the legs, parting them wide against quivering thighs as she slid two fingers inside, twisting until her thumb could tease against the clit, sliding over the electrified bud in a long stroke, before rolling around the edges to press against it hard, but not enough.

Never enough.

Lauren's hips would buck, breath panting closer to the edge until she would be thrust awake. Confused, moaning, she'd shiver. Her head would loll back on the arched spine, fingers grasping at silk sheets. She could gasp, moan, and sometimes whimper her needs, but Ysabeau would never give.

The human's legs would roll up to steady herself, pushing further into her fingers.

And she would then slide her other hand up Lauren's waist, her fingers running around to the spine and pulling the woman up, guiding Lauren until she rolled onto her knees, burying further in the fingers but still not controlling.

But under guidance she would _be _controlled, her hips rolling into the hand, into the desired and chosen pace. And the hand on Lauren's back would slide up, threaten to choke only until their eyes met before she pull her into a kiss.

If then, Ysabeau twisted and curled her fingers _just _right, Lauren would gasp into a long, trembling kiss. Her eyes would squeeze shut and the fingertips would unclench from the silk to wrap around Bo's neck.

She'd be awoken when her eyes flew open wide, rolling up to the ceiling as she hissed to hold back, tensing around Bo's hand. Controlling, forcing, _denying_. This was her power, her slowly learnt control that Bo could force, could push if wanted, but not now. Not yet.

Beaded droplets would slide down Lauren's skin in effort to hold her control and desperately Ysabeau wanted to taste, to watch it slip with her human pet's hold. She wanted to breathe in the clouded arousal that clung to the room, feel Lauren's lips swell between her teeth. But most of all, she wanted that tightness of fingers tangling in her hair as the doctor, _her _doctor, clung in grasp, her hips rocking, knees on either side of her as she climbed onto her lap.

Thrusting, she'd force a long moan from Lauren. Feel it vibrate and scatter through their bodies.

Then, eagerly, Lauren allowed the feed. Both knew she wanted to feel the rush as chi breathed from her in wisps to spill down Bo's throat. She wanted to believe that it was only her satiating the beast.

Soothing, if Ysabeau played her part right.

The orgasm would hit Lauren then, body tense, shaking violently beneath steady hands. Ysabeau would watch deliciously as the woman's expression became pinched, her body poised and arched as she'd sucked in a gasp of air to roll out a beautiful singular syllabled, "_Bo…"_

"Hold, just hold," she'd murmur in reply, loving the delicious moment where Lauren shook in the orgasm, convulsed around her fingers as her nails dug into her own flesh.

Ysabeau's tongue would return to the neck, teeth sliding against the rapid pulse, listening as Lauren strenuously cried out, giving into the long deafening moment of electrified nerves. She would hold the doctor's waist tight, fingers moving in that last quick, hard pace before the last moments happened and Lauren dropped.

It was immediate, the drop. She would become limp, forehead dropping to Bo's shoulder, and her breath heavy as she slowly regained her hearing. Ysabeau found the paused, sudden quiet moments fascinating. How sex affected such a fragile form was almost amusing if it weren't somewhat tiring.

Though, she'd admit, Lauren's endurance exceeded human expectations.

"Good morning," Lauren would manage, laughing to look up into her blue eyes. Then much softer, still amused, "I don't think I'll ever get used to this as a wake-up call."

Ysabeau knew it was hard for her to be angry, hard to remember who she was outside the marked boundary of the bed. Lauren could just slip and believe, sometimes almost looking as though she could love this monster. Inside the sheets, wether there was an influenced touch or not, she made sure Lauren _felt _loved. And Ysabeau could see it, eyes dilated, lips parted with small blinding smiles.

The moments were raw, passionate, but never harsh. She was never harsh here. She'd leave her with fading marks, and hot kisses that seared her skin, but never cold. She made sure Lauren never felt cold in the bed, until she was gone.

The bed curtains flew open and adorably her pet scrambled for sheets. Lazily, Ysabeau turned her head to the assistant. "Yes?"

"There's an issue with the new project," her assistant said, only glaring lightly at Lauren's form. Shyly, the doctor hid further beneath the sheets, avoiding all eye contact as reality hit. Ysabeau glared. Mornings were _her_ time. She didn't like her boundaries been broken by anyone but her.

And now the sweet, soft and utterly fucked Lauren had reverted back to her twisted self. Days of hard work had probably been washed away by her assistant's temper.

"What kind of issue?" she asked calmly, eyes flashing to the woman who hovered above. She admired how, even afraid, the woman didn't back away. Only a moment of hesitation cracked through her mask of indifference.

"One that can't be discussed _here_," she replied.

Looking back at Lauren, she sighed. There was no denying that this may be more important than the gradual work she'd been doing on Lauren. Pressing her lips quickly to hers for goodbye, she promised to return later to finish what she'd started.

It was pleasant to know that a startling pink could still rush over the good doctor's cheeks as she nodded to herself, eyes darting to them only briefly as she curled up beneath her cheeks.

Perhaps it was shame that stained them so vibrantly.

oOoOo

A knock sounded on the bedroom door insistently. It wasn't Bo, she had a habit of throwing doors open regardless of when or where. But it wasn't a guard, either. The door was light, precise with an even three taps in each grouping of knocks.

Groaning, she climbed out of bed, lifting the robs from the bedpost over her body. She hadn't had a change to dress yet. The closet of clothes laid across the hall, for some reason. Lauren suspected it was to make the entire _dressing_ issue distressing. All it took was for Bo to take the single robe and Lauren would be left with nothing to hide her body as she walked from one door to the other.

She hadn't yet, but Lauren didn't trust her enough to be unafraid.

Shivering, she adjusted the dressing gown before opening the door. "Good morning?" she blinked. Two very expensively dressed women stood at her door looking as though they had at least fifty years separating them in age, if they had be human.

"Inside. We need to get you ready."

"Excuse me."

The woman looked her up and down, frowning, "quite. There's much work to be done before one. She really should have warned me," the elder woman muttered, looking back at Lauren with disdain. The youngest, however, remained placid, standing behind with her hands held behind her back and a masked expression of serenity.

"_What_?" she demanded. "What is going on? I really think you have the wrong place and I would kindly wish for you to excuse me and allow myself to return to research."

She had a few books on the bedside table laid out. Nothing that could help Bo, but possibly something that could lead up to 'proving her worth'.

"I am here to dress you for lunch."

"That's ridiculous. I eat lunch in this...suite. Whatever it is," she glared tiredly. For the past few days, meals were given to her in the bedroom where she could watch the television on the front wall, or use an unconnected-laptop. Which was quite worthless to be honest. How the hell could she get any work done if she couldn't use the internet.

Clearly Bo wanted to give her a very filtered look through the media. She was sure that everything _was not_ fine in the city. Something had to happen, but all of the local news broadcasts, even the radio, had been filled with fluff stories and irrelevant interviews.

She even caught herself watching day time television yesterday in desperate hope for a tibet of news. All she'd found out was the hockey scores.

Taking a breath, she looked over the woman. The older woman looked, and probably was, ancient. By the scathing look, she was receiving, Lauren was sure the woman found the entire idea of dressing a human, demeaning.

"Perhaps that's your usual predicament, but today is different. Lita will bathe you-"

"She most certainly will not."

The woman glared, her lips turning into a thin line. "Lita _will_ bathe you," she nodded to her assistant, a young girl who looked no older than nineteen. Lauren barely glanced over her, turning instead to focus on the mean old woman as she stood still, refusing to move from the doorway. "Child, make this no harder than necessary."

"What's happening at lunch?" she questioned.

"A meeting with diplomats. I don't care. All I'm aware is that the chefs have been at work since last night and I was requested to dress both you and Ysabeau."

"_Bo_," she corrected.

Smirking, the woman eyed her knowingly, "that's not what she's calling herself."

Lauren tensed, before shaking her head. "It's makes no sense for her to bring me. A human would only spark tension."

"Normally, I would agree with you. However you're no mere human, Doctor Lewis. Your name has been whispered across the fae borders since your timely arrival in the Congo. It's no secret that many others want you in their hold."

"That's irrelevant. Bo wouldn't sell me off to the highest bidder."

"Perhaps. Maybe she's using you as a bargaining chip, or maybe just as a trophy. Either way, _tension_ is not the operative word." She shoved past Lauren, looking around the bedroom before turning back to her assistant. "Lita will bathe you. I will dress you, and you will have lunch. I hope your table manners are up to scrap, I imagine anything less than impeccable would severely upset your mistress."

She shuddered at the seamstress' words, looking over to Lita. The woman was thin, all sharp features and angles. It was then, Lauren noticed how ridiculously light the woman's green eyes were. It was only when the auburn hair moved did Lauren spot the elven ears.

A sinister smile past over the girl's lips, bearing razor sharp teeth. "You used to work with the Ash," Lauren stated calmly. Inside her stomach twisted as everything she knew about elves began running over her mind.

"Which?"

"Lachlan."

"Perhaps," Lita's smiled softened as she gently, but firmly took Lauren's arm and began leading her to the bathroom. Lauren didn't get a chance to decide what was happening. She was placed in the centre of the bathroom as the elver woman ran a warm bath, perfuming it sickly with sweet scents. The entire process was done quietly and Lauren watched as the girl laid out an assortment of tools and bottles, possibly to be used on her.

Then, when everything was ready, Lauren had her robe removed from her.

Only then did the elf step back and stare at her face until Lauren climbed in the bath. From there, she was submerged.

It was all too decadent. Invasive and _wrong_. Everything was changed. Though the elf never spoke again, Lauren could feel scrutinizing eyes as she was bathed, washed, scrubbed. From there she was pulled out of the bath where she was dried off.

But of course, it didn't end there. The elf plucked, prodded, _moisturized _and waxed. When the woman looked like she was heading towards her pubic hair, immediately, Lauren snatched the thin hands away.

"_That_ remains untouched. If Bo wants me to change how I keep that, she can tell me herself and I'll make an informed decision _myself_." The elf smiled at her amused, dropping her hands away.

"If you wish," she murmured, turning to grab a different robe.

"I do," she muttered. Lita held out the silk robe, allowing Lauren to thread her arms in before she tied it up. "Now what? I get dressed?"

The woman didn't reply, instead guiding her to a stool. Before Lauren understood what was happening, scissors were in grip and her hair was being trimmed. Sickly, Lauren remained still, allowing it to happen. She didn't understand why. She felt like a doll, not a person, altered to dress and smile however Bo wanted her to.

A prize perhaps. What had the seamstress said before? _Trophy. _She was a scientist for god's sake and she was being treated as a trophy.

How fall she'd fallen with the fae.

"Where are you on your cycle?"

"My _cycle_?" Lauren asked irritably.

"Menstrual cycle."

"I think you would have noticed if I was _bleeding_ from my vagina," she snapped. The elf didn't move from trimming her hair. She remained quiet for a moment, brushing and styling Lauren's hair in preparation for the seamstress. When she was done, she placed both the scissors and comb down onto the basin.

"Women secrete odors to attract mates during their premenstrual cycle," the elf explained, "For some fae, this with any particular social behaviors will give the implication that the female desires to mate."

"That sounds like a misogynistic bullshit reason for rape-apologists," Lauren muttered darkly.

"Perhaps," the elf murmured. "But I was told by your mistress to make sure you were correctly perfumed. For that, I need to know your cycle."

Lauren blinked, frowning momentarily. She wasn't sure it was care that caused Bo to request such a thing, but it was certainly odd. _Her_ Bo knew little about the fae, and yet this one was constantly buried in research, always on a tablet, questioning and prodding, as she walked around left and right. At times, when she wasn't organizing one thing or another, Bo would visit her in the afternoons to read. She didn't initiate sex, didn't touch her unless she touched Bo…she just...spent time with her.

Lauren swallowed, breaking away from the thoughts. She couldn't stop to think over the woman's motives. All that mattered was that she _wasn't_ Bo, and that she had tortured her. Lauren couldn't forget that, and she certainly would _not_ forgive it.

"Next week," Lauren muttered. "I'll start on Tuesday."

The woman nodded, going through a small bag and pulled out a tiny vial. Lauren rose to her feet, allowing the woman to apply the perfume in the usual places, before she looked down at the woman. "Thank you," she murmured.

The elf smiled again, unsettling Lauren as the teeth glimmered at her. "Oh. It's no problem, Doctor Lewis. I enjoy working for the Queen. She's going to change the world."

"She's not crowned."

"No. Not yet."


End file.
